APPALACHIAN LEAGUE: Sox Skid Hits Five Games

BriSox blow lead in suffering road loss to Greeneville Astros

By: TriCities Staff | TriCities.com
Published: July 14, 2008

Bristol Herald Courier
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — For the third straight night, the Bristol White Sox suffered a one-run loss.

Pinch-runner Albert Cartwright scored on a RBI single by Federico Hernandez with no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Greeneville Astros collected a 7-6 Appalachian League win over the BriSox on Sunday night.

Bristol (10-10) suffered 7-6, 5-4 and 7-6 defeats in the three-game set and fell farther back in the Appy League’s West Division. Manager Bobby Thigpen’s team has lost five straight games and hasn’t posted a win since July 3 against the Pulaski Mariners.

Sunday’s loss was especially tough to take.

The Sox pounded out 15 hits and carried a 6-1 lead into the eighth inning. However, Greeneville rallied and forced extra innings.

In the bottom of the 10th, Greeneville’s Kyle Miller began the inning by striking out. However, he reached first after Bristol catcher Kevin Dubler couldn’t come up with the third strike and then uncorked a wild throw.

Cartwright replaced Miller on the basepaths, stole second and then scored on the clutch hit by Hernandez.

First baseman Jorge Castillo continued his hitting surge for Bristol and went 4-for-5 with a RBI to boost his batting average to .375.

Dubler, who hit his first professional home run earlier in the series, pounded out two hits, while Short went 2-for-6 with two RBIs. Hancer Vargas also had two hits for the Sox, who left 11 runners on base.

Sox closer Kevin Asselin blew his first save by allowing two unearned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work, while Terry Doyle (1-1, 0.90 ERA) suffered the loss.

Greeneville (13-13) got four hits from Jose Altuve. Altuve, the ninth hitter in the Astros’ lineup, also drove in two runs. Astros starter Kyle Greenwalt worked six solid innings, while David Dinelli (2-0, 2.70 ERA) did not allow an earned run in three innings of work to pick up the win.

Bristol returns home tonight to begin a three game series with the Danville Braves, the rookie-league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Danville (16-10) suffered a 7-2 loss to the Burlington Royals on Sunday and has lost two straight.

Third baseman Jon Gilmore (.350, two home runs, 12 RBIs) and shortstop Shayne Moody (.323) are among the top hitters for Danivlle.