NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

Three Ninth Inning Errors Send RailCats to 4-3 Loss

Published on May 26, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


FARGO, N.D. - The RailCats committed three straight errors in the bottom of the ninth inning and watched the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks score twice to hand the RailCats a stunning 4-3 defeat Monday afternoon at a frigid Newman Outdoor Field.

With Brad Voyles on the mound for his second inning of work in the ninth, Zach Penprase led off with a bouncing ground ball to third that Omar Padilla could not play cleanly for the first error. Kole Zimmerman came up next and dropped down a bunt that Voyles threw to second wildly on what would have been a close play even with an accurate throw. After that error, Boomer Berry set down another bunt - this time to third - and after Padilla looked to third to get the lead runner he threw wildly to first, allowing the Penprase to score the tying run. Carlo Cota came up next and flied a ball into right that scored the winning run for the RedHawks.

The RailCats lost last at bat leads twice in the four-game series with the RedHawks, as Fargo won three of four games in the set. The RailCats bullpen was saddled with seven more runs in the four games in Fargo after allowing 23 in the previous three games against Kansas City.

In the top of the eighth inning, the RailCats had taken a dramatic lead when Rob Marconi led off with a home run over the fence in right. Marconi went 2-for-3 with a couple RBIs and a pair of runs in Monday's game and improved to 8-for-14 (.571) with two home runs and two triples when batting after the sixth inning this year. Marconi also had a go-ahead eighth inning home run in Saturday's game.

Fargo-Moorhead started the scoring in the second inning against RailCats starter Kai Tuomi. Two pitches after fouling one deep down the rightfield line, Steve Mortimer straightened his swing out and took Tuomi deep for his Northern League leading fourth homer of the season.

The RailCats struck back in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs on back-to-back singles by Brett Wallace and Padilla. With John McCarthy at the plate, RedHawks starter Dane Renkert let loose a wild pitch that brought Marconi in from third.

One inning later, the RailCats took their first lead of the game when Marconi delivered once more, singling home Jay Pecci from second with two outs. But the RedHawks had an answer in the bottom of the fifth, scoring the equalizer on a Boomer Berry triple.

Tuomi went five innings in his third start of the year, giving up two earned runs on only five hits. Renkert was more erratic but as effective in his six innings, walking four and allowing eight hits but keeping the Railcats to only two runs.

Voyles (0-2) suffered the loss for the Railcats, although both runs charged to him were unearned. Donnie Smith (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and earned his first win of the year.

The RailCats (3-8) move on to Kansas City (8-2) for three games to wrap up a seven-game road trip. Tuesday, Jeremy Plexico (0-1, 2.70 ERA) will take the hill for the RailCats against T-Bones right-hander Kenny Durost (0-0, 3.60 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. Pregame coverage of that game on WEFM, 95.9 FM, and online at www.sportsjuice.com will begin at 6:50 p.m.

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Northern League Stories from May 26, 2008


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