By NASH ARMSTRONG

Sports Writer

Only 90 feet stood between the Greeneville Astros and a late-inning comeback Monday night at Pioneer Park.

Unfortunately, it was 90 feet they could not overcome, as they dropped the close contest 3-2 to Princeton.

"That's just something that happens," manager Rodney Linares said. "You're one out away, or one hit away, or one big play away, and it just doesn't happen."

Going into the final half-inning, the Rays (7-7) led the Astros (4-10) by one run, 3-2. Greeneville first baseman Kody Hinze stepped to the plate, representing the tying run.

With a 3-1 count in his favor, Hinze hit a laser shot that bounced over the left field fence between the Rays' left and center fielders. Hinze cruised into second as Astros fans roared in the stands.

Linares then called in Wilton Infante to pinch run. Shortstop Ricardo Bonfante stepped to the plate representing the go-ahead run. Bonfante fought hard, and eventually grounded out to the Rays' shortstop Tim Beckham, moving Infante to third.

With the tying run on third and one out, Linares called on Kyle Miller to pinch hit. Despite fighting off Princeton reliever James Bagley's tough pitching, Miller eventually struck out on a check swing.

With two outs, catcher Pedro Gonzalez stepped into the batter's box. He, however, could not manage to get the ball in play, striking out to end the game.

"We talked about it before the inning," Linares said. "I told Miller if we had something cooking, I was going to put him in to pinch hit."

According to Linares, "one play away" has seemed to be the common characteristic to the Astros' losses this season.

"It's only a matter of time before we overcome (one bad play)," Linares said. "I got a couple of new guys who haven't been through it, and I have some guys from last year who have been through it and dealt with a tough year last year. It all comes down to a basic principle; we play nine innings. We can't lean on our pitcher going six innings or our relievers coming through all the time."

The Astros led most of the game up to the eighth inning. The Rays led off the eighth with three straight hits, two of them being infield hits. With the bases loaded and no outs, reliever Nathan Pettus walked in the first run of the night.

Reliever Colton Pitkin then took the mound. Princeton's D.J. Jones then hit soft dribbler into the right field grass, scoring Eli Sonoqui to tie the game at 2-2.

The final blow came when Princeton's Tomas Francisco hit a sharp grounder to Astros third baseman Ebert Rosario, who tagged third and threw to first for the double play, giving up the winning run for the sure outs. Dustin Biel grounded out to Pitkin to end the inning.

Before the three-run inning, the Rays had scored no runs on seven hits, and had left eight runners on base.

Linares noted how proud he was of his pitching staff.

"I have nothing bad to say about these kids," he said. "They just go out there, and they pitch their hearts out. I feel confident putting any of them out there. I got to commend them, because they are doing their job. We are just not making a play."

The Astros' first run came in the bottom of the first inning. After two quick outs, Rosario knocked the first hit of the night up the middle to center field. After stealing second, Rosario scored when Frank Almonte busted a double in the right-center gap.

After two scoreless innings, Almonte walked after seeing only five pitches. Two consecutive hits later, Almonte crossed the plate, giving Greeneville their second and last run of the night.

Hinze led the Astros' offense, going two-for-four from the plate with a single and double. Otero led the Rays, putting together a three-for-four night, with designated hitter Burt Reynolds nipping at his heels, going three-for-five.

The two teams close out the final game of the series tonight at 7 p.m. Tonight is "Dollar Dog Night" with hot dogs for $1. All youngsters ages 12-under are admitted free tonight. The Astros go to Elizabethton for a Wednesday night game, then the Twins return the favor on Thursday night as Greeneville will celebrate July 4 with a huge fireworks show.