Breakthrough: Arcila aids Blue Jays’ victory

BLUEFIELD — Daniel Arcila had not had a hit since hitting the game-winning home run against Johnson City on July 6.

After going hitless in his next 26 at-bats, Arcila came up big once again for Bluefield.

The second baseman broke open a one-run game in the seventh with a two-run single as the Blue Jays defeated Kingsport 3-1 on Friday night at Bowen Field.

“He’s been struggling,” Bluefield manager Dennis Holmberg said. “He had some well-hit balls in Bristol the night before last. I sat him down last night to catch his breath.

“Sometimes you play a lot and put pressure on yourself. He works hard in the cages. A lot of credit has got to be given to him on the work he puts in on his swing. He’s a special player.”

The win also lifted Bluefield (13-11) back into a tie for the Appalachian League East Division lead after Princeton fell to Johnson City 7-6. The victory also snapped a two game losing streak for the Blue Jays.

“We felt real good about Aaron Sanchez starting tonight and having Myles Jaye coming back in behind him,” Holmberg said. “They’ve been getting better every time out. You know they’re going to pitch well. It’s just a matter of getting a couple runs.”

Neither team could find the scoreboard early as both starters we in a rhythm from the start.

Sanchez scattered three hits over his five innings while Kingsport (10-14) starter Jacob Lugo allowed only four hits in his five-inning performance.

Sanchez had little trouble until the fourth when Dustin Lawley and Luke Stewart hit back-to-back singles with one out. Sanchez would settle down by striking out Gregory Pron and Tillman Pugh to end the inning.

“I just took it one pitch at a time,” Sanchez said. “I got myself in a couple jams and tried to find my way back in the count. I threw a couple quality pitches when I needed to and ended up getting the outs.”

His counterpart, Lugo, ran into trouble in the third and fourth innings.

After two three-up, three-down innings, the Blue Jays’ Kevin Pillar roped a single to start the third, but Melvin Garcia hit into a double play.

However, Lugo would make problems of his own with back-to-back walks to Aaron Munoz and Arcila. Lugo, though, would strike out Gustavo Pierre to end the threat.

In the fifth, Lugo wouldn’t be as lucky.

Chris Hawkins started the inning off with a double and following two outs, Munoz laced a single to center field to score the game’s first run.

Kingsport would try to answer in the sixth when Bluefield reliever Myles Jaye allowed a leadoff single to Yucarybert De La Cruz. T.J Rivera grounded into a double play, but Jaye walked Lawley before first baseman Art Charles made a nice stab to end the inning.

“It always nice to play well defensively,” Holmberg said. “You start with pitching, then follow it with defense. Your offense should be the third objective of the night.”

Bluefield looked to add on in the seventh when Arcila came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs.

The Mets brought the infield in and Arcila connected on a Miller Diaz offering right back up the middle to score Hawkins and Pillar.

“He can be very good and sometimes a little bit inconsistent,” Kingsport manager Frank Fultz said of Diaz. “He’s young. He’s got a great arm and great future. He just struggled a little bit with his command.”

Those extra runs proved beneficial as Jaye began to struggle in the eight and Kingsport got a little luck on their side.

Camden Marion started the inning with a single that caromed off the first base bag for a hit and Jaye then walked Jeff Glenn. With runners at first and second and no outs, De La Cruz singled to center field to score Marion.

“This team has been very resilient,” Fultz added. “For the most part, we’ve been a late-inning team. Our wins have not been in games where we’ve scored early.

“We’ve scored more runs late from the fifth on than we have in first few innings. We just couldn’t come up with the clutch hit and tie it up.”

Jaye would strike out Rivera and Lawley before making it exciting with a walk to Stewart to load the bases. It would be as close as Kingsport got to a run as he struck out Pron swinging.

“I think we had one bad inning,” Holmberg said. “It was stressful inning in the eight with the bases loaded. Myles made some good pitches and controlled the inning without letting it get out of hand. Can’t say enough about his outing and likewise with Sanchez.”

Sanchez picked up the win as he pitched five scoreless innings while striking out seven and walking none. Jaye earned his first save of the season. He went four innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out six and walking three.

“They threw outstanding pitching,” Fultz said. “Both kids really were impressive. They had good command of their pitches. They made great pitches when they had to and their defense was stellar. They got some timely hitting.”

Hawkins led the Jays’ bats with three hits and two runs. Pillar added two hits and a run.

Both teams will have a short turnaround as tonight’s game is scheduled for 11 a.m. Former Major Leaguer and Tazewell native Billy Wagner is set to throw of the first pitch.

Bird seed: Bluefield is 4-9 in one-run games, but 5-0 in games decided by two runs, and 9-2 in games decided by a 2-to-6 six-run difference.

—Contact Jonathan Greene

at jgreene@bdtonline.com

At Bowen Field

Kingsport…….........…000 000 01x — 1 6 0

Bluefield………………000 010 20x — 3 9 0

Jacob Lugo, Miller Diaz (6), Mark Picca (8) and Jeff Glenn. Aaron Sanchez, Myles Jaye (6) and Aaron Munoz. WP—Sanchez (1-1); LP—Lugo (1-1); SV—Jaye (1). HR- none. Att—756.

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