JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Back-to-back big innings for the Coal Cats saw them take the first game of a two-game series versus the State Liners, 17-4, on Tuesday.
Both teams scored in the first, with Tri-State scoring a run on a double play and Bristol scoring on a Patrick Gillen double.
In the second, Tri-State took the lead with a stolen base that resulted in a run, before Bristol answered back in the bottom half with two of its own on a Gillen single and a Chris Patterson double that plated two.
A balk in the third inning gave the Coal Cats their third run of the day, tying the game, and they never trailed afterward.
A fielding error for the State Liners and a three-RBI triple courtesy of Chandler Murray gave the Coal Cats a 7-3 lead entering the bottom half of the fourth. Bristol plated a run in the bottom of the fourth on Patterson's second RBI of the day.
Tri-State broke the game open in the fifth, tallying eight runs. A Bishop Quarles double and a Luke Kosko single resulted in runs eight and nine for the Coal Cats. A Tyler Smolinski single, followed by a State Liners throwing error, resulted in two more. Ryan Maggy followed with his fourth homer of the summer, a three-run shot. The Coal Cats hit around in the inning, and Quarles added an RBI triple for his second hit of the inning, making it 15-4 Tri-State after the fifth.
The Coal Cats struck for two more runs in the sixth on Sal Mineo's first home run of the season.
With a big hill to climb for Bristol, the Coal Cats turned to their bullpen in the fifth, which held Bristol quiet for the rest of the night. Brynden Rodriguez followed a solid outing from Jack Gibson, with Rodriguez getting the win. Evan Jones and Carlos Jazmin both threw an inning each in relief.
The State Liners' pitching staff struggled, with all 17 runs going earned. Alex Sotiropoulos had a solid start but exited with an injury in the fourth. He would eventually be tagged with six earned runs after departing with runners on. Nick Romagno struggled as Sotiropoulos' replacement, giving up eight earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings. Aiden Savona also threw an inning, giving up three earned runs.
Bristol suffered its seventh straight loss, while Tri-State got back in the win column. Both teams still sit in last place in their respective divisions after Tuesday night's play.
Bristol looks to notch its first win in a week in the last game of its five-game homestand Wednesday against Tri-State at 7 p.m. from TVA Credit Union Ballpark.
