PULASKI, Va. — The Greeneville Flyboys escaped with a déjà vu victory in Pulaski thanks to a monstrous sixth-inning comeback. Greeneville rallied for a 9–5 win at Calfee Park behind timely hitting and much-needed home runs Saturday night.
Greeneville pitcher JT Long made his first start of the season after one appearance in Elizabethton. Long allowed three runs over three innings while striking out two.
Pulaski opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when center fielder Eli Hudgins lifted a sacrifice fly to score first baseman Jesse Brown and give the River Turtles a 1–0 lead.
Pulaski added to its lead in the third. Catcher Ryland Duson doubled to score right fielder Sebastian Norman and make it 2–0. Moments later, Brown singled past second baseman Deacon Nelson to bring home Duson and extend the lead to 3–0.
Brown struck again in the fourth, driving in two more runs with a single that scored Norman and designated hitter Brady Elrod to push the River Turtles' advantage to 5–0.
But the Flyboys proved the old saying true: better late than never.
Everything proceeded to change in the top of the sixth inning.
Zachary Mass allowed third baseman Nolan Behm to reach on a single before issuing walks to Nelson and catcher Nelson Grajales-Vazquez to load the bases for first baseman Ruben Zuany.
Zuany crushed a 421-foot grand slam for his first home run of the season and the first grand slam in the Appalachian League this year, cutting Pulaski’s lead to 5–4.
After left fielder Danny Wallace struck out, center fielder Matthew Kerrigan singled and later scored on a double by shortstop Carson Brumbaugh to tie the game at 5–5.
Blane Metz entered in relief after Hill took over for Long and escaped trouble in the seventh. With runners on, Metz turned a perfect comeback double play after left fielder Basilio Williams Jr. smoked a line drive back to the mound and Metz fired to first to end the inning.
Greeneville finally took the lead in the top of the eighth when Wallace launched a solo home run 419 feet to put the Flyboys ahead, 6–5.
The Flyboys delivered the knockout blow in the ninth after capitalizing on an early Pulaski miscue.
Greeneville pieced together timely at-bats as RBI singles from Zuany and Kerrigan stretched the lead to four and put the game out of reach. Pulaski threatened little in its final chance at the plate, but Bennett Percival shut the door, recording two strikeouts to secure the 9–5 victory and cap off a statement comeback win at Calfee Park.
Up Next:
Greeneville will face Pulaski once more Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
After an off-day Monday, the Flyboys will open a three-game series against Johnson City and then will face Danville at home.
Tickets are available at flyboysbaseball.com or by calling 423-609-7400. For weather updates and team information, follow @gflyboys on Facebook, Instagram and X.
