Published: July 31, 2008 12:11 am      

P-Rays fall in slugfest to Johnson City Cardinals

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Princeton Rays fell to the Johnson City Cardinals 14-11 Wednesday night in a game that saw the teams combine for 29 hits and five home runs.

Mayo Acosta hit his second home run of the season, a grand slam in the third inning. He went 2-for-5 with a run and five RBIs for the Rays. Elias Otero went 2-for-3 with his fourth home run of the year, two runs and an RBI.

Tomas Francisco was the other P-Rays to launch one out of the stadium, hitting his first homer of the year in the seventh inning. Francisco went 2-for-4 with three runs and an RBI.

Brian Bryles added a 2-for-6 night.

Princeton starter Albert Suarez gave up three earned runs and seven hits in four innings. He also struck out six and walked none to put himself in line for the win.

But he did not get it. Jordi Amargos gave up four earned runs on four hits in 2 1-3 innings late to take the loss and drop to 0-1.

Johnson City reliever Samuel Freeman got the win after throwing just one inning and allowing one earned run on one hit. He improved to 3-1.

Jorge Rondon threw a scoreless ninth to pick up his fourth save of the year.

Third baseman Alex Castellanos came within a single of hitting for the cycle. His sixth homer of the season came in the eighth inning and it was a three-run shot that helped the Cardinals put the game away. He ended the game 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBIs.

Osvaldo Morales was the other Cardinal to homer Wednesday night, hitting his ninth of the year in the seventh inning.

Brett Lilley went 3-for-5 including a triple, scored twice and drove in two more. Jarred Bogany went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and three runs.

Travis Mitchell went 2-for-4 and scored a run and Curt Smith went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs.

Princeton (15-22) plays Johnson City again tonight. It will be the second of a three-game set.



Princeton.............................006 201 110 — 11 11 0

Johnson City.......................003 052 13x — 14 18 0

Albert Suarez, Kyle Ayers (5), Jordi Amargos (6) and Tomas Francisco. Michael Blazek, Santo Maertz (3), Matthew Frevert (4), Andres Rosales (5), Samuel Freeman (8), Jorge Rondon (9) and Ivan Castro. WP — Samuel Freeman (3-1). LP — Jordi Amargos (0-1). S — Jorge Rondon (4). HR — Mayo Acosta (2), Tomas Francisco (1), Elias Otero (4); Osvaldo Morales (9), Alex Castellanos (6). Att. — 510.