BriSox Recover, Rock Danville 11-6

BY JOSH FLOYD
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

BRISTOL, Va. – After an unforgiving start to July filled with crushing one-run setbacks, the Bristol offense seemed like it was flat out tired of dropping games in that fashion Monday.

Unfortunately for Danville starting pitcher Cody Railsback, he was the first man in front of a determined Bristol buzz saw.

The Sox battered Railsback to the tune of seven earned runs and nine hits over the opening three innings – including a full trip through the order in the first – en route to an 11-6 Appalachian League decision at DeVault Stadium.

“This is a game we needed,” said Bristol manager Bobby Thigpen. “We’ve been on a rough stretch where we’ve lost some close ballgames. It was nice to get some early runs and try to coast from there.”

For the locals, summer fun was nowhere to be found for the past two weeks. During that stretch, the Sox (11-10) were a woeful 1-7, including a 0-6 tally in one-run contests. Additionally, Bristol – which went 96 hours without a game last week thanks to wet weather and one idle day – was coming off a disappointing sweep at the hands of Greeneville over the weekend.

That mindset all changed in about a 20-minute, first-inning span, as Bristol delivered seven consecutive hard-hit balls towards chasing Danville fielders. Even Jorge Castillo’s RBI sacrifice fly, the only out recorded by Railsback against the first eight hitters, drove Braves’ center fielder L.V. Ware to the warning track.

And by the time Juan Silverio’s RBI swinging bunt plated yet another Sox runner, Bristol was ahead 5-1.

“We’re just trying to convince the guys that they are a good team ... and that we can do that more consistently than we have been,” noted Thigpen, whose squad remained 5½ games behind West Division leader Elizabethton. “We just need to work for nine innings – instead of two or three or four – and just stay after a team.”

Bristol did just that against the Braves (16-11), who entered Monday’s tilt sporting by far the best ERA (2.76) in the league. In fact, Danville’s aforementioned stat was over a run less than the next team on the list (Greeneville – 3.86).

Railsback, who was making his first appearance as a starter following six relief appearances, saw his ERA climb from 3.21 to 6.35 upon departing after three frames. The Sox then broke the double-digit mark for the fourth time this season in the fourth without the benefit of a base hit.

All but one of the Bristol starters provided at least one hit, with Silverio and Brandon Short each recording two hits. Silverio, who batted eighth in the lineup, hammered home a towering three-run homer in the third for a commanding 9-1 advantage.

“I’m working hard in my offensive drills, and I think that really helped tonight,” admitted Silverio, who collected four RBIs. “I feel very good, especially after going through those one-run losses. I hope it continues.”

The good work continued for Bristol starter Onarkys Paniagua, who scattered three runs and 10 hits over six to get his second victory in five starts. The Dominican Republic native has already doubled his win total from a year ago.

“He’s got a lot more confidence this year,” Thigpen concluded. “He’s making the pitches he’s capable of making, and it’s been a big turnaround for him. But those early runs also made him relax a little bit, which allowed him to go about his game.”

Oddly enough, the Braves outhit the hosts 13-10, receiving home runs from Ware and Kuyaunnis Miles. Miles, who ended the night a double away from the cycle, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Teammates Jon Gilmore, Chris Shehan and Will White added two hits apiece.

Danville 100 020 030 - 6 13 4
Bristol 513 200 00x - 11 10 2
Railsback, Paulino (4), Reid (7) and Sucre. Paniagua, Puls (7), DeFoor (8) and Santos. W - Paniagua (2-1). L - Railsback (2-1). S - None. HR - Silverio (B), 3rd, two on; Ware (D), 5th, one on; Miles (D), 8th, two on.