Evan Ellis

When the clock struck midnight, and Monday became Tuesday at Joe O’Brien Field, a rooster crowed loudly into the East Tennessee night. It was not a real bird, just a bit of fun concocted by the E-Twins promotion crew in the press box. It was a cheap laugh on a long night, but there was still baseball to be played. The scheduled double-dip got started on time, but rain was threatening from the moment the first pitch flew until the final outs were played. A crowd liberally numbered at 507 souls was hearty; seeking shelter however they could through a first game that was delayed 93 minutes by rain. The home team lost, falling further back of first place in a doubleheader that could see them head home after the two contests in sole possession of first place. Heading into the bottom of the seventh in the second contest, Elizabethton trailed Greeneville on the scoreboard 2-1. A pair of Astros southpaws, had kept the Twins at bay. Other than a lone run that tied the game in the fourth, no Twin runner had advanced past first base. For the seventh, the Astros would call on another left hander, one of six active left handers on the staff, a high number for this year’s Appalachian League. Brian Olsen led off the inning with a walk on a full count. Kamran Young replaced him on first, as Manuel Guzman stepped up to the plate. It was no secret Guzman was going to bunt, but as he pulled back his first attempt, the ball bounced off the catcher’s thigh and toward the backstop. A passed ball allowed Young to advance the tying run into scoring position. Guzman changed his approach. He battled his way to a walk, again on a full count. Two on, no outs. E-Twins skipper Ray Smith had sent Lewan Diaz, in just his second day in town, to the on-deck circle with the plan of having him hit after Guzman advanced the runner into scoring position. When Guzman reached, he let Nelson Molina hit in his assigned nine-spot. He laid down a great bunt to advance both men into scoring position. The stage was set for Jermaine Palacios to play hero. Palacios was already 2-3 for the game. He has been a base hit machine since arriving into town, with a disposition to pull the ball to left from the right-handed batter’s box. He did, but the Astro third baseman was in position to make the grab, Young could not advance as Palacios was thrown out at first. Two down for Daniel Kihle. Daniel Kihle has had an up and down year for the Betsy Boys this year. He is a hard-nosed player that has often been the fourth option in the outfield more times than not. But tonight he would have the chance to play hero. Kihle turned on a pitch and hit the ball hard at third baseman Rodrigo Ayarza. With the ball rocketed toward the hot corner, Ayarza made the best attempt he could on the hot shot. As it passed underneath his glove and into left field the Twins had tied the affair as the throw came in from left. Third base coach Jeff Reed waived Guzman around third with a head of steam. Catcher Kevin Martir blocked the plate as Guzman executed a feet-first slide. The throw was off target but Guzman had to reach for the plate through Martir’s block. He touched, He was safe, Twins win in walk-off fashion. Tonight’s second game was the same kind of heroics that Amaurys Minier achieved on the first night of July with a walk-off home run in the 13th. Elizabethton gave the fans that remained something to cheer. They kept pace with Greeneville and with a Kingsport loss, moved into sole possession of second place in the West. As for the first game, Elizabethton lost 5-3. The game was basically four innings of intense one run/tie baseball where hits were at a premium and each team had a run. Elizabethton ended up having to waste an Andro Cutura start because of the rain delay, he was back out on the mound to pitch the 5th when the rains came hard and heavy. Andro gave up just two hits, and one run. The run will be one that will be talked about at the baseball grounds by the Watagua River for some time. After two easy outs in the third, Andro gave up a walk to leadoff man Myles Straw. Daz Cameron, son of longtime major leaguer Mike Cameron, stepped up to the plate, with two outs and the runner at first. Cameron hit the ball sharply toward right field but the ball was tailing foul. For the purposes of disclosure, I did not see the entire of the play. I was not in my normal seat. I was on the opposite side of the press box that has an obstructed view of right field toward the bullpen. The last thing I saw was Kamran Young nearly crossing the foul line into foul ground and I thought the ball was foul so I leaned back into my chair. Oh, but it was not. It was fair. Cameron rounded second, and the ball had not come in yet. He rounded third and after the Twins realized what had happened fired the ball to A.J. Murray at the plate. He applied the tag, and Cameron was out. The inning was over, but the damage was done. Ray Smith fought for his side, but to no avail. Greeneville had the lead. The game was tied when the rains came. Had the rain not arrived, I truly believe that I would be writing about the incredible pitching duel between Cutura and Greeneville starter Jose Hernandez. The rain changed the narrative. Elizabethton took a 3-1 lead after Kamran Young hit a two run bomb after Cristopher Santamaria issued a two out walk to Travis Blankenhorn on straight pitches. C.K. Irby struggled in the sixth, and Greeneville drew even. Jose Abreu went out to pitch the seventh for Elizabethton and gave up the final margin. Elizabethton had pretty much no more available pitching, and gave the game two spot start to Nate Gercken. Elizabethton pitching kept the club in the second game, but it became clear early that if the game went long, Betsy would have to test the relievers on the staff. Anthony Mciver made his second straight quality appearance going two innings with a walk the lone blemish on the scorecard. There are many things that can be overanalyzed, and were disappointing on the night. But that would cast a shadow over Daniel Kihle’s moment. The moment when the dust settled and Manuel Guzman was declared safe. It would mute the moment when the first base dugout cleared and swamped Kihle. The Twins were the club smiling when the long night was over. Greeneville would have to board the bus with hanging heads for the hour trip home. Elizabethton would be in bed before the bus pulled back into Pioneer Park. Elizabethton will make the trip to Greeneville for the third game of the four game set tomorrow. They have the momentum in the series, and will try to give themselves another chance at first when the series returns home Wednesday. I have reached the part of the season, where for the most part I am a serious observer rather than a broadcaster. Just four games remain on the Elizabethton Twins Radio Network slate, but because that schedule ends on the last day of the regular season I will be close to the club until the calendar turns to September. I am happy to answer questions regarding the prospects on the club. I appreciate the views, and would enjoy any comments or concerns. So until tomorrow night in Greeneville, Tennessee, at the nicest park in the Appalachian League, Go Twins.

With one swing of the bat, the whole complexion of a baseball game can change. Tonight consecutive swings solidified how important two members of the E-Twins are to the ball club. With Elizabethton holding a one run lead headed into the bottom of the third, Jermaine Palacios led off with a double, the second of his three hits tonight. Alex Perez singled to advance the lead-off man to third. Runners on the corners, no outs for LaMonte Wade. Wade stepped to the plate, and starting pitcher Dalton Rodriguez was visibly shaken. With one big cut of Wade’s left handed bat, the E-Twins led 4-0 as he bombed a pitch to the right field side of the batters’ eye. Chris Paul followed Wade to the plate. Paul has shown considerable power since joining the club, and tonight in his 20th game in Betsy would not let the man he has went swing for swing with over the last ten games out hit him. Paul put maple on baseball and deposited it over the high wall in left. Back-to-back home runs from the E-Twins most reliable power bats. Elizabethton would add five additional runs in the fifth inning after Blue Jays reliever Dan Lietz walked the first and only four he faced to lead off the inning. Bluefield would score four but would never really challenge the Betsy lead to stretch the winning streak to three, just the second time this season the club has strung together three wins. Onesimo Hernandez was solid until he ran out of gas, giving up two runs in the Top of the 6th. Josh Guyer was good enough through 1.2 IP surrendering two more runs. Jose Abreu finished off the game and pitched well in his 1.2 IP, striking out three. Thoughts on the Night Kamran Young and Amaurys Minier were both out of the line-up tonight. The lineup did well in their absence with all nine guys getting one hit except for Palacios who had three. LaMonte Wade and Chris Paul showcased their tremendous power with back-to-back home runs. I would not expect Chris Paul to be in Elizabethton much longer. Onesimo Hernandez was great while there was still gas left in the tank. After a shaky first he retired the next 13 he faced before the wheels fell off. It was good enough for a win on a night when the offense flourished. With the results of the night now final, Elizabethton finds its self in a tie with Kingsport for second in the division. The clubs are a game and a half back of Greeneville, who lost tonight to Bristol. The E-Twins are 7-3 in their last ten games, that is tied with Bristol for second in the league over the same period. The team will have the brooms at the ready tomorrow night against Bluefield. The Greeneville Astros come to town on Monday and dependent on the outcomes of tomorrow’s contests, first place in the West could be on the line at The Joe come Monday.

The game was initially delayed thirty minutes for rain. It was a pitcher’s duel into the bottom of the sixth, when with Twins on the corners and no outs the rains came and the tarp was hustled onto the field. Geno Encina was ready to enter the game before the rain arrived and trotted out to the mound when the game resumed some 50 minutes later at just after 10 p.m. Encina had a rocky start. He threw a wild pitch that scored Alex Perez from third for Betsy’s first run of the night. With Chris Paul still at the plate and LaMonte Wade at second, the former Cal Bear smacked a double to the wall. The Twins led 2-0. Travis Blankenhorn knocked Paul home before the frame ended. Right out of the gate after the rain delay, Elizabethton had built a three run lead that would never be challenged. Betsy added two runs on a series of walks and wild pitches in the eighth without getting a hit off Blue Jays 2012 Compensation Round Pick Matthew Smoral. Logan Lombana relieved Elizabethton Twins Radio Network player of the game Anthony Mciver and earned a three inning save. Mciver pitched just one inning, but the lefty was marvelous getting out of a jam created by Dereck Rodriguez. Dereck was solid again giving up six hits but no runs. The two relievers combined for four innings of work with just one hit, no walks, and six strikeouts. Elizabethton earned a 5-0 win, pulling even in the season series with the Blue Jays. Elizabethton scattered seven hits, but unlike Bluefield who had the same, the team created scoring chances taking advantage of sketchy relief work out of the Bluefield pen. Elizabethton remains 2.5 games back of Greeneville who won at home against Bristol, but with a Johnson City loss is just a half game out of a playoff position. The race for the playoffs is going to be intense, but Betsy is right in the thick of it at 21-22. Not all that the Betsy boys did tonight was championship challenging baseball, so let get to the observations from the Press Box in regards to tonight’s contest. K-Kings Show No Signs of Progress I will be brief on the topic that is one that rears its ugly head way too many times when the E-Twins play. Kamran Young and Amaurys Minier combined for 6 of Betsy’s 13 strikeouts on the night. Minier has 51. Young has 48. Minier has failed to get a base hit since last Sunday. Young did get a key single last night at Johnson City, and a walk tonight but the stats do not often lie. Like Forrest Gump often said, “That is all I’m going to say about that.” Complete Pitching Performance Dereck Rodriguez gave his team exactly what they have come to expect. He surrendered no runs on six hits. He got out of every adverse situation he got into, and used a lot of pitches doing it. The latter calling for him to be relieved after back-to-back base hits to start the sixth. The performance by the bullpen was a different story. While the Bluefield line-up does not have the big bats of a team like Johnson City. One has to respect a team that was leading the season series 2-1. Anthony Mciver made his best appearance of the year so far. Mciver had given up nine earned runs in 4.2 IP over his last three outings. He got Bluefield out in order, despite two runners aboard in the top of the sixth. Had the rains not come, he would have surely returned to pitch the seventh and maybe beyond. Logan Lombana had given up five earned runs on eight hits in 5.1 IP in his previous two appearances. He responded tonight by allowing a single hit, and striking out the side in the eighth. Tonight was a great pitching performance much like last night against the Cardinals. The question remains can the team put three games in a row like this, we will find out tomorrow against Bluefield. The Opportunity is Now The season is on the downhill decent. With the majority of the Twins remaining games against division opponents, the team still has a number of chances to take the division. LaMonte Wade and Chris Paul continue to lead the team offensively and in the clutch. Travis Blankenhorn is going to be a star I really believe because he plays the game very hard and never takes anything for granted. The guy plays with a lunch pail mentality that I hope resonates with the E-Twins faithful. The bullpen can only get better and over the last three have shown glimpses of turning the corner. The season is in the home stretch, and while the team plays almost, if not every day until the First of September. We only have five games remaining on the network. If you do give us a listen, I would love your feedback because as a former athlete, I totally understand the purpose of criticism. We have five more games on the air beginning tomorrow night against Bluefield. I hope you can join us at 5:45 for the Clubhouse Show. Until then, Go Twins.

There were two outs in the top of the tenth. Johnson City Cardinals relief pitching had allowed just one hit since the seventh and the momentum of the game over the previous few innings had the small gathering of Twins rooters sitting on the first base side of the tiny press box just waiting for the next out and for Johnson City to take the game as they had the previous two nights. Kamran Young stepped to the plate to face Harley Holt. Young had struggled all night. He was 0-5, and had added a pair of strikeouts to his 43 previous on the year. But this at-bat was different, He singled, the E-Twins had a base runner but there were still two outs for LaMonte Wade. It only took one pitch, LaMonte Wade turned on a fastball and pulled it over the right field wall, a no-doubter. Elizabethton led and Kuo Hua Lo trotted back out for another inning of work. Lo struck out the side. Twins wins 4-2. It was the squad’s first win at Johnson City this season and the victory knotted the season series at five games a-piece. It also stopped Johnson City’s 5 game winning streak. Tonight’s game was another in the series between the two rivals that was so well played on both sides that extra innings were almost expected instead of forced. Several factors went into why tonight’s game was so important. But the fact that the rest of the division was idle because of rain that miraculously somehow missed the Baseball Grounds on Legion Street allowed the E-Twins to have a better appearance in the standings with the last place Bluefield Blue Jays coming to town tomorrow. Pitching, Pitching, Pitching Tonight’s contest was a good old-fashioned pitchers duel, fitting for a match-up between two of the longest continually affiliated clubs in minor league baseball. Sam Clay gets better each time he takes the mound for Elizabethton. He struck out eight, allowed Johnson City’s two runs but it was a quality start that kept the club in the game with Johnson City getting equally effective starting pitching. C.K. Irby was a solid middle man, ironic because he went into the tenth. C.K. yielded just one hit, striking out four. His replacement with two out in the tenth was Kuo Hua Lo, and again the Taiwan native delivered. Lo came in and got the final out of the tenth, fended off a Johnson City rally in the eleventh, and with a two run lead struck out the side to earn the win in the twelfth. Tonight was the first time I have seen Lo pitch with a radar gun displayed for all to see. Lo does not have overpowering stuff, but his off-speed selections are almost unhittable. Lo has only surrendered two earned runs on the year in eleven appearances. He leads the league in opponent batting average for a reliever at .115, he gave up a single hit in 2.2 IP tonight. He earned player of the game honors on the broadcast tonight after he earned the win. Timely Hitting Elizabethton hitters have struggled hitting with men in scoring position and with the bases loaded all season. Looking at the box score tonight, one might assume that tonight was another example of that phenomenon. The fact of the matter tonight is that the Twins hitting was so scattered that the team scored in every inning that they strung together multiple hits. The E-Twins created each of the four runs they scored. LaMonte Wade hit a one out double in the sixth, Chris Paul knocked him in from second. The team added a second run off a Jermaine Palacios single in the seventh, the team put Olsen into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. LaMonte Wade had a chance to hit his home run in the twelfth because Kamran Young got a two out single. The team took advantage of situations that Johnson City made mistakes, and while the box score says the team hit 2-10 with runners in scoring position the team made the most of the chances they got off Cardinal pitching. There just were not a lot of chances tonight. The K-Kings Despite the win, the team still struggled in one key statistic. The strikeout. Johnson City pitching was equally effective as the Betsy staff. Twins batters struck out ten times tonight, but the concerning part of that statistic is that Amaurys Minier and Kamran Young accounted for two each. Young redeemed himself with the single that allowed Wade to blast the home run, but Minier finished the game 0-5 to move his average to .189. Minier and Young have combined to strike out 93 times. That stat is good enough for 27.51% of the team’s season total of 338 strikeouts. Young has shown defensive worth, while Minier has showed the ability to blast the ball into next week. The problem is that Minier has not done it recently, and the team has other options. This will be a storyline for the remainder of the season, and I will be watching closely. Returning Home in a Better Spot in the Standings Elizabethton enters a three game series with Bluefield in a three-way tie for third in the division, 2.5 games back of Greeneville. This is largely because the remaining three teams in the division waited out rain tonight and never took the field. Tomorrow the team opens a three game set with Bluefield, two of which we will have on the network. Elizabethton won opening night in Bluefield. They fell the following evening after the Twins closer took the ball and walked the winning run in. I left town before the third game of the set, but the E-Twins fell again. The teams met in June, the calendar has turned to August. Elizabethton is a different club in many ways. Most of the faces from the starting line-up are either playing other roles or have moved on elsewhere. I hope any new readers we have on the blog that will be henceforth posted on Twins Daily enjoy my takes. I am invested in this club and hope all those interested in information on the club can get it. The Elizabethton Twins Radio Network will be on the air tomorrow from Joe O’Brien Field at 6:45 p.m. eastern with our Clubhouse Show followed by first pitch at sometime shortly after 7:00 p.m. eastern. We can be heard locally on WBEJ AM 1240, FM 107.9 and anywhere in the world online at WBEJ.com. There should be a link on MILB.com. I love Twitter feedback and I can be reached @ETwinsonRadio and on my personal account @EvanCEllis. I appreciate all feedback via comment as well. Thank you for your time. Until Tomorrow Night, Go Twins.