Press Release: - Burlington 4, Kingsport 3

Burlington squeaked past Kingsport 4-3 to take the rubber match of this three-game series. The Royals' triumph, coupled with Danville's 5-2 loss at Greeneville, pushed Burlington within two games of the second-place Braves. The two teams meet Saturday through Tuesday in a four-game set, with the first two in Burlington, to close the regular season.



For the fifth straight night, the Royals (31-33) jumped out on top first. Ryan Jenkins clubbed his third homer of the season down the right field line to make it 2-0 Royals. A throwing error by Kingsport's Brandon Brown allowed Gabe MacDougall to score in the second to increase Burlington's bulge to three runs.



Following a run for the Mets (27-35) in the bottom of the third, Alex Llanos cleared the left-center field boards for his first long ball of 2010, seizing the three-run lead back.



The Royals' arms held on from there. Jon Keck (3-3) won for the third time in his last four starts, lasting six innings for his longest start. He surrendered two runs and whiffed five. Daniel Hernandez worked the seventh and eighth and gave up a run.



Then, in the ninth, Robert Penny notched his fourth save of the season despite some controversy in the bottom of the ninth. With men at first and third and one out, pinch runner Ray Van Gurp attempted to steal home but was gunned down. Penny then retired Brown on a groundout to end the contest.



It is the Royals' fourth straight series victory. Burlington is now 17-15 away from Burlington Athletic Stadium.