NYPL Vermont Lake Monsters

Ramirez drives in winning run as Vermont wins, 5-4

Published on June 22, 2009 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Vermont Lake Monsters News Release


BURLINGTON, VT --- J.R. Ramirez's RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning gave Vermont a 5-4 win over the Tri-City ValleyCats in the Lake Monsters 2009 New York-Penn League home opener Monday night at historic Centennial Field.

Sandy Leon led off the 10th with a walk and one out later pinch runner Francisco Soriano was safe at second as shortstop Brandon Wikoff was unable to field a groundball for an error. Soriano and J.J. Sferra then stole second and third as Sean Nicol struckout for the second out, but Ramirez ended the game with a solid single to leftfield on a 1-2 pitch to give Vermont the win.

It didn't look as if the Lake Monsters would need extra innings as Vermont used a three-run third and solid pitching from its first three pitchers of the game to take a 4-0 lead into the ninth inning. But the ValleyCats rallied with four runs on five hits off reliever Steven Stewart, including a two-run Russell Dixon single that tied the game at four.

Vermont starter Adrian Alaniz, a member of the 2007 Lake Monsters who just rejoined the team on a rehab assignment from Double-A Harrisburg, tossed four perfect innings with four strikeouts to start the game. Reliever Evan Bronson pitched a perfect fifth inning before Tri-City got its first hit of the night on a leadoff infield single from Pedro Gonzalez in the sixth inning.

By that time the Lake Monsters had a 3-0 lead with the three-run third inning. Vermont used two hits and a walk to load the bases with one out before Justin Bloxom's smacked a two-run single to right and Yrueys Tejeda stroked an RBI double to leftcenter.

Vermont added an unearned run in the sixth as Leon led off with a double and scored from third with two outs when second baseman Barry Butera could not handle a Nicol groundball for an error.

Clayton Dill (1-1) pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 10th inning to pick up the win for Vermont, while Robert Donovan (0-1) took the loss for the ValleyCats. Nicol, Ramirez and J.R. Higley all had two hits for the Lake Monsters, while Dixon had two hits for Tri-City (0-2).

Vermont (2-2) has now won three straight home openers dating back to 2007 and are now 7-9 all-time in 16 home lidlifters. The Lake Monsters and ValleyCats will play game two of the three-game series on Tuesday night beginning at 7:05 p.m. with Jose Pinales scheduled to start for Vermont.

Check out the Vermont Lake Monsters Statistics

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