BURLINGTON, N.C. — The Johnson City Doughboys slipped another five-run lead away in a 13-5 loss to the Burlington Sock Puppets on Saturday.
It was Johnson City’s game early on, as Burlington’s starting pitcher, Lance Hartley, struggled in the first. With the bases loaded, he walked Trey Majette, and Paris Pridgen scored the first run of the ballgame.
Burlington wouldn’t let that stand for long, as it came back to take the lead in the bottom of the first, both runs scoring off bases-loaded walks, with Ariel Antigua and Orlando Fernandez making their way across home.
Brandon Chang brought the Doughboys back out in front in the third, as he roped a line drive into center, scoring both Nate Conner and Jose Ferenandez to regain the lead, 3-2, for Johnson City.
The Sock Puppets kept pace as Dom Krupinski evened the game with a ground ball that got through into left field, cashing a run from Avery Smith. Johnson City snagged the lead yet again in the fifth, as Chang got his third RBI on the night with a single into right, scoring Fernandez for a second time.
Burlington began forming its comeback in the sixth inning. Antigua got the first run across with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing Chancellor Jennings in on the tag-up from third. Wade Shelley continued the process when he reached on an infield error, allowing Krupinski to find home plate again. Zach Jackson topped it off with an RBI single into right, bringing Shelley home after his hit.
Burlington continued to rake in the runs in the seventh as well. Krupinski walked with the bases loaded, but the fourth ball got past home plate into the backstop, scoring Smith and Antigua before Fernandez doubled on a deep fly ball to center, knocking in Krupinski.
Burlington wasn’t finished there. Shelley reached on another infield error that saw Fernandez score another run, soon after, a wild pitch to the backstop gave DJ Merriweather a free jog to home from third. Smith hit an RBI single shortly after into center, bringing Shelly home. By the time the Doughboys were able to get out of the seventh, it was a 12-5 ballgame.
The final run of the night came off of a Krupinski groundout to second baseman Logan Fyffe, scoring Antigua from third after his leadoff triple. Johnson City couldn’t come up with an answer in its final at-bats and fell to Burlington.
Johnson City will gear up Sunday for the third game in the series against Burlington. First pitch is at 5 p.m. for the seven-inning game.
