W: Trey Cochran-Gill (6-0)
L: Janson Carr (6-2)

 

Left fielder David Perkins and right fielder Ryan Brown combined for an 8 of 10 performance as the Harrisonburg Turks stole home field advantage with a 13-4 win in Winchester.

The game looked like another Winchester blowout at first as the Royals jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Center fielder Ryan Lee got the visitors on the board with an RBI single in the top of the third, but the fourth frame is where the action really started. With the bases loaded early and no outs, RJ Perucki hit a go-ahead grand slam to set the Turks lead at 5-3. Brown, Lee, and second baseman Thomas Smith all singled to load the bases again, and catcher Keaton Neeb’s follow-up RBI single would plate another runner. A bases-loaded walk closed the inning’s action for a grand total of six runs.

The Turks would score again in the fifth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, including home runs by Perkins and third baseman Jake Roberts. They would end the game with 13 runs on 19 hits.

On the mound, Trey Cochran-Gill pithced all nine innings, walking six batters but ultimately only allowing 4 runs on 9 hits. He improves his Valley record to 6-0.

The Royals used a 5-deep pitching rotation, but starter Janson Carr takes the loss on the night. Carr allowed seven of Harrisonburg’s 13 runs before being pulled. Three of the seven were uneared.

Despite going 22-0 when scoring six runs in the regular season, this is the first of Harrisonburg’s five postseason wins where the team reached six total runs.

Game 2 of the 5-game series will be in Harrisonburg Thursday night. Game time is 7:30 at Veterans Memorial park.