D-Braves’ Berryhill earns kudos for performance

Danville Braves catcher Daniel Elorriaga-Matra tore off his mask and rushed toward relief pitcher Thomas Berryhill.

“I thought you were dead!” Elorriaga-Matra said. “I’m just glad you were moving afterward.”

Berryhill, a 2009 fifth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves, cemented the confidence of his teammates and the coaching staff moments earlier when he fell backward, knocking down a blistering line drive headed toward his face. He quickly gathered himself before scurrying gloveless across the diamond, recovering the ball in time to throw the runner out at first to earn a save against the Kingsport Mets on Wednesday.

“Thank goodness it got a piece of his glove. I think what was unique about the play was that he still was able to gather his thoughts and get the out at first base,” D-Braves manager Paul Runge said, before calling Berryhill “the guy” when it came to being the team’s closer. “Right now he seems to be the guy who would probably be in that role, yeah, but we don’t like to get locked into the terminology of a closer. We’d like to speak more in terms of the tail end of a game.”

Players from both teams congratulated the 5-10, 185-pound Berryhill during post-game handshakes for his gutsy game-ending play, which sewed up the righty’s Appalachian League-leading third save in as many attempts this season.

“It was a little scary,” Berryhill said. “I knew when I didn’t feel it in my glove after it hit my glove, I knew I had to look for it so it didn’t give me much time to think.”

“Berryhill is one of the better athletes on this team,” said rookie shortstop Mycal Jones, who etched his name in D-Braves history by turning an assisted triple play earlier in the series, “so I’m not surprised he made that play.”

Berryhill, 22, owns a 2.08 ERA and has given up only one run on two hits and three walks while striking out three in 4 1-3 innings for Danville this season. That lone run came in Danville’s loss to Princeton on Friday, when Berryhill surrendered the game-winning run after entering a tied game in the ninth inning.

The Aynor, S.C., native attended Newberry College and was the second-highest Division II player drafted this year. He posted a team-low 2.20 ERA and a 3-1 record with seven saves in 18 appearances his senior season. He also amassed 42 strikeouts in 41 innings while only issuing 11 walks and held his opponents to a .187 overall batting average.

Berryhill said he’s comfortable when being called on to close out games for the D-Braves, having played in a similar role through college and high school. After his performance so far this season, the rest of his teammates and the Danville coaching staff are comfortable when he’s on the mound, too.

“Berryhill, you can’t ask much more from a pitcher than that. He has a great presence on the mound. He just wants to win, and he shows it,” D-Braves first baseman Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg said. “I’m proud to be on the field with that guy whenever he pitches.”

D-BRAVES DROP SERIES

Jason Patton tripled with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to lead the Princeton Rays to a 3-1 victory against the Danville Braves on Saturday night at Dan Daniel Park.

Patton’s triple handed Princeton a 3-0 lead with two outs in the eighth inning, which the Rays (7-5) held despite an attempted Danville (7-5) rally in the bottom of the frame.

Daniel Elorriaga-Matra scored Jace Whitmer with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to cut Danville’s deficit to 3-1, but that was all the D-Braves could muster in dropping their first series of the season.

Brett Oberholtzer held the Rays to two hits, struck out six and walked two while pitching six scoreless innings.

Julio Surinach took the loss after allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks in two innings of relief work.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

LHP Eric Barrett was sent down to Danville from Class A Myrtle Beach after the D-Braves’ loss to Princeton. He will be available for the four-game road trip beginning today at Pulaski.

Barrett was 1-2 with a 6.08 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Pelicans. He posted a 2.28 ERA and a 2-0 record in five games with Danville in 2007. He will wear number 16.

Also, catcher Chris Anderson was promoted to Class A Rome after going 0-for-3 with Danville this season.

The Braves additionally announced that infielder Ryohei Shimabukuro has been place on the restricted list.

ON TAP

Danville RHP Chris Masters (1-1, 1.35 ERA) at Pulaski TBA at 7 p.m. today.

Contact Jason Wolf at or (434) 791-7996.

Princeton 000 000 030 -  350
Danville 000 000 010 -  141
W: Oakes (1-0, 2.57); L: Surinach (2-1, 3.00); SV: Mavares (1)
HR: None.