Two caoches ejected on the opposing team, and the DBraves pull out a win!
Let’s go to the Danville Braves game recap…
The Braves scored three times in a crazy seventh inning to win the rubber game of a three-game series with the Kingsport Mets, 4-2, before 1,206 fans at Dan Daniel Memorial Park. Danville starter Tyler Stovall was terrific, but it was the seventh inning that turned the game upside-down. The Braves are now 6-3 on the season and have won all three series this season, while the Mets fell to 2-7.
Both Stovall and Mets starter Chris Hilliard cruised through their outings as the teams combined for just five hits through five-and-a-half innings. Stovall retired the first eight men he faced and allowed his only hit on a two-out single in the fourth. Meanwhile, Hilliard scratched out five innings of shutout ball.
The Braves, though, were able to draw first in the pitcher’s dual off Mets reliever Zachary Rosenbaum in the sixth. Rosenbaum immediately walked Mycal Jones and Adam Milligan to start the inning and Robert Hefflinger chopped a single through the left side and Jones scored from second to take the 1-0 lead. A Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg single loaded the bases, but Rosenbaum played Houdini and escaped with no further harm.
But in the seventh, things turned wacky. With one out, L.V. Ware singled on a bunt hit down the third base line. The speedster then tried to steal second with Jones at the plate and beat the throw. Mets trainer Luis Aguayo immediately came out to look at the hand of Mets catcher John Freeman (he would remain in the game) and Mets manager Mike DiFelice came out to argue that Jones interfered and made contact with his catcher for an interference ruling.
After a lengthy, several-minute discussion, DiFelice began to walk toward his dugout when he shouted something over his should and was ejected by home plate umpire L.T. Reeves. Jones eventually drew a walk. But Adam Milligan stepped to the plate next and grounded to shortstop, but beat out the throw on a close play to load the bases. Mets hitting coach Bobby Malek bolted from the dugout toward base umpire Ryan Karle, who made the call from his position near second base. Karle tossed Malek, leaving pitching coach Bobby Hurst as the only coach on the bench.
Two batters later, Spanjer-Furstenburg stroked a two-run single to right to score Ware and Jones to make it 3-0. Rosenbaum’s first pitch to the next batter Derek Wiley hit the backstop and Milligan dug for home. The ball bounced off the backstop and right back to Rosenbaum, who caught it on the fly, and just missed tagging Milligan to give the Braves a 4-0 lead.
The Mets got a pair of runs back in the eighth (with Hurst coaching at third and reserve infielder Alonzo Harris coaching at first) on a two-run shot to right off the bat of Cesar Puello, his first of the season.
The Braves closed the game in the ninth with a fantastic defensive play by closer Thomas Berryhill. With two down and the tying run at the plate, Michael Morris lined a shot right back to Berryhill, who pulled his glove near his face in defense. The ball shot off his glove, which flew off the righty’s hand. Berryhill found the ball between him and first base and tossed to Spanjer-Furstenburg to secure the win.
Matt Crim (2-0) earned the win, going 3.2 innings in relief and allowing just the two-run homer in the eighth with no walks and three strikeouts. Stovall was fantastic, tossing 4.1 innings of one-hit ball with seven strikeouts. He walked five batters. Berryhill picked up his third save. Rosenbaum (0-1) took the loss, going two innings and allowing all four Danville runs. Offensively, Spanjer-Furstenburg was 4-4 with two RBI and he is now hitting .548 for the year.
Thursday is Thirsty Thursday Night at the ballpark as all beer and fountain soda will be discounted. This first homestand features a post-game fireworks show on July 3. For other information on the schedule, tickets, group nights, and/or partnership opportunities please contact the Danville Braves office at (434) 797-3792, info@dbraves.com, or log on to www.dbraves.com.
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