If you dig yourself a hole, make sure it is one that you can get out of. That did not happen for the Greeneville Astros on Thursday.

The visiting Elizabethton Twins jumped on the Astros early and cruised to an easy victory at Pioneer Park. The final score was 12-4.

Division-leading Elizabethton improves to 9-1 on the season while the Astros fall to 6-4.

The Twins tagged starting pitcher Angel Gonzalez for eight runs in his one and a third innings of work. He entered the game with an ERA of more than 11.

Angelo Sanchez earned the victory by going six innings on the mound. Sanchez allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out six batters while walking one.

After pushing one run across the plate in the first inning, Elizabethton erupted for seven runs in the second frame. The Twins batted through the order and hit two home runs in the inning.

Designated hitter Josmir Pinto led the inning off with a solo shot to center field. Pinto worked the count and drove the ninth pitch of the at-bat out of the ballpark.

The Twins followed that with four straight singles before Gonzalez got a sacrifice fly for his only out in the second inning.

Three batters later, first baseman Danny Rams ended Gonzalez's night with a three-run blast to left.

B.J. Hyatt came in relief and retired the two Elizabethton batters he faced in the second inning.

Through one and a half innings, the Twins had sent 15 batters to the plate compared to three for the Astros. Elizabethton collected eight hits while scoring their first eight runs.

Greeneville put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning with three straight hits to open the inning.

Right fielder Nathan Metroka led off with a single. Designated hitter J.D. Martinez followed with a double to right. First baseman Omar Figueroa picked up an RBI with a single to center.

The rally quickly fizzled as the Astros could not get another hit.

Hyatt was effective in his two plus innings on the mound. He did not allow any runs and only one hit. He struck out two and walked one.

While Hyatt was keeping the Twins at bay, Greeneville added a second run. Metroka collected his second hit to lead off the fourth. He was erased on a fielder's choice by Martinez.

Third baseman Jonathan Meyer drove in Martinez with a double to the gap in left-center.

The Twins' bats came alive once again in the sixth inning. The third pitcher of the game for Greeneville - former Tusculum Pioneer Tio McLean - was the was one charged with the runs.

Catcher Tobias Streich hit a three-run home run to left after McLean had recorded two outs. The Twins led 11-2 through five and a half innings.

Greeneville added two runs in the eighth with help from an error by the Twins. Second baseman Jose Altuve led off with a walk. Shortstop Jiovanni Mier reached base on an error. Both players were driven in by Martinez with a double to left.

After the disasterous first two innings, the Astros played Elizabethton even. Both squads scored four runs in the final seven innings.

The Twins pounded out 14 hits on the night. Greeneville collected nine in the loss.

The two teams play again tonight with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.