Yanks take back-and-forth contest, avoid sweep

The Pulaski Yankees avoided the sweep and topped series finale to the Burlington Royals, 11-7 on Thursday night at Calfee Park. The win moved the Yanks’ record to 18-24 on the season. 

Pulaski drew first blood after Evan Alexander tripled for the fourth time this season, and was driven home by Ezequiel Duran in the first inning. Later in the frame, Nelson Gomez turned around an 0-1 pitch and went deep to left field for his seventh homer of the season, giving the Yankees and early 2-0 cushion. 

In the fourth, the Royals started their rally to climb back into the game and eventually grab the lead. Jose Marquez brought Burlington to within two after singling on a full count to score Freddy Fermin. Next inning, Juan Carlos Negret drove in Eric Cole on a sacrifice fly. 

Into the sixth inning, the Royals posted a four-spot on the scoreboard to take a 6-3 lead. Chris Hudgins doubled to centerfield to score Fermin, and Rafael Romero doubled high off the right field wall scoring both Marquez and Hudgins. Matt Morales knocked in his team’s third double of the inning to score Romero. 

Pulaski rallied in the bottom half of the sixth to suddenly pull the game even. Mickey Gasper launched a two-run homer to right field to cut the deficit to one. Later in the inning, Jordan Scott tripled home Max Burt to even the score at 6-6. 

The back-and-forth continued into the seventh frame when the Royals reclaimed a one-run advantage. Chris Hudgins reached on a Burt throwing error to score Fermin. But in the bottom half, the Yankees again rallied for a big inning. 

Duran singled in Alexander to tie the game once more, and Gomez added another RBI to his resume with a RBI single to centerfield scoring Anthony Seigler. Carlos Tatis tallied a sac fly for a Yankees’ 9-7 advantage, and Robert Javier rounded out a five-run inning with a two-run double scoring Burt and Gomez.

The Yankees continue their six-game homestand Friday with the start of a three-game set against the Elizabethton Twins. It’s Star Wars Night at the ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Calfee Park.