ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – Everything was the same. On Tuesday night, the Sock Puppets had the same lead they had taken into the bottom of the eighth inning three separate times almost at Kingsport almost two weeks ago.
But tonight, it was different.
The River Riders pounced and scored three runs to put the game away and beat the Sock Puppets 4-3.
Burlington’s nine-game road trip began with its starter, Tyler Shafer, developing a calm presence on the mound. The righty ushered in an 11-pitch first inning, setting down the side in order with a pair of strikeouts.
Elizabethton scored first on a 2-out double from infielder Terrance Bowen in the second inning. It came just a few games after Bowen had a game-tying 3-RBI triple on Thursday against Burlington.
Sockville responded immediately. Center fielder Bryce Clavon worked a two-out walk, which set up Orlando Fernandez, who plated his first run of the game on a double to deep left field to knot things at 1-1.
Burlington left a runner stranded at third base in the fourth and fifth innings, ultimately ending the game 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, bringing its season average to .207, which is seventh in the Appy League.
After a pair of walks in the seventh by second baseman Braden Maranto and Clavon, Fernandez barreled another ball to deep right field to score Maranto on a sacrifice fly and give Burlington its first lead of the night.
Catcher Justin Muñoz gunned down an Elizabethton runner to end a threat in the bottom of the inning and doubled his impact in the top of the eighth, lacing a two-bagger into right field and scoring shortstop Jack Beck, who reached on a walk.
With Burlington ahead 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, it needed just six outs to extend its road record to a perfect four wins, no losses on the season. However, a one-out walk led to a two-run home run by E-Town first baseman Houston Hebert to even things once again.
A throwing error by Fernandez later in the inning extended the inning, and eventually River Riders third baseman Matt Evans cashed in with an RBI double to give Elizabethton the lead into the ninth inning.
Burlington sent the top of its order – Clavon, Fernandez, Pomeroy – to the plate in the ninth. Despite the trio reaching base seven times prior to the inning, the 1-2-3 part of the Puppets’ lineup went down in order – albeit, all three outs were 95 or more miles an hour off the bat.
The loss holds Burlington in third place in the East division at 5-4.
Game 2 of the series is tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Live updates can be found on X @GoSockPuppets.
