JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Bristol couldn’t find its rhythm Tuesday night as Johnson City exploded early and never looked back, handing the State Liners a 9-0 loss after a thunderstorm forced officials to call the game early in the bottom of the seventh.
The Doughboys got on the board in the first with an RBI single then erupted for five runs in the third. A mix of hits, a wild pitch and two Bristol errors helped Johnson City build a 6-0 lead after three innings.
Bristol struggled to capitalize offensively, stranding the bases loaded in the third and leaving multiple runners on throughout the night. Chris Patterson reached base three times via walk, and Patrick Gillen added a single and two walks, but the State Liners couldn’t push anyone across.
Johnson City added three more in the fifth, highlighted by an RBI double and a two-out RBI single. Bristol’s bullpen steadied things after that, but the deficit proved too large to overcome.
Hunter Barber and Joe DuSell combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for Bristol. Defensively, Collin Dobson turned in a solid performance at second, but Bristol committed three costly errors on the night.
The State Liners return to action versus the Doughboys at 7 p.m. Wednesday as they look to bounce back from the shutout defeat.
