Yankees erase early deficit, beat Mets, 8-5

KINGSPORT, Tn  Nelson Gomez left the yard twice for a four RBI night, and the Pulaski Yankees erased a 4-0 hole to top the Kingsport Mets on Sunday, 8-5.   

Luis Medina took the hill for the third time this season, and Kingsport granted him with a rude welcoming in the opening inning. Appalachian slugging leader, Anthony Dirocie belted a three-run homer to left field scoring Luis Santana and Mark Vientos, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead. Later in the frame, Kenny Hernandez doubled to center field to score Domingo Martinez on a 0-2 count. Medina finished the night after throwing three innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, none in which were earned, walked three, struck out two and was granted a no decision.  

In the fifth inning, the Yankees began their rally back into the game. Carlos Narvaez and Nelson Gomez hit back-to-back jacks in the inning off Mets’ pitcher Garrison Bryant to pull Pulaski within two. Later in the inning, Robert Javier lined a two-out base hit down the third base line to score Daniel Barrios and pull Pulaski within one.   

In the seventh, Javier came through in the clutch once more with runners on base. With the bases loaded and one walk, Javier lifted a deep fly ball to center field to score Juan De Leon from 90 feet away on the sacrifice fly. The Mets regained a 5-4 advantage in the bottom half after a throwing error by Carlos Tatis scored Shervyen Tatis.   

But the Yankees continued to show resiliency and were unable to pile on more clutch at bats. In the eighth inning, with two runners on, Gomez went yard for a second time. A three-run shot scored himself, Tatis and Max Burt to give Pulaski their first lead of the night, 7-5. The homer marked the second time this season the Yanks blasted three long balls in a single game.  

A wild pitch in the ninth inning scored Oswald Peraza for good measure, insuring the Pulaski Yankees to an 8-5 lead over the Kingsport Mets. Bryan Blanton tossed four innings of relief work, but Jhonatan Munoz was credited with his first win of the season after going four innings, allowing only one run on two hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

The Pulaski Yankees return to the field Monday for the middle game of a three game set at Hunter Wright Stadium, against the Kingsport Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.