The Kingsport Axmen defeated the Pulaski River Turtles by a final score of 5-0 on Tuesday night.
For the second straight game, Kingsport (6-0) scored multiple runs in the first inning. Axmen catcher and designated hitter Shea McGahan hit an RBI triple, scoring Nate Anderson, to open the scoring against the River Turtles (1-4). This was the first Axmen triple of the season.
The Axmen scored two runs in the first inning, one in the second, one in the third and one in the sixth inning. Every Kingsport batter either recorded a hit and/or reached base. LF Nate Anderson had a monster game, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and stole his fifth base of the season.
The starting pitcher for the Axmen, Ryan Kraft, threw five innings, surrendered one hit, no walks, no runs, nine strikeouts and recorded the win. Kraft became the second Axmen starter to have nine strikeouts in his opening start (Cornelius, Kraft).
Kingsport pitching combined for 13 strikeouts in 29 Pulaski at-bats, while River Turtles pitching combined for just three strikeouts in 31 Axmen at-bats.
Wednesday night, the Axmen host the Johnson City Doughboys in the series opener of a two-game series.
