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Hawks Win on Conner's Walk-Off Single

August 13, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


South Bend, IN - Welcome back to South Bend, Clayton Conner.

In only his second game with the team this season, Conner hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth inning to propel the Silver Hawks to a 5-4 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts Thursday night in front of 3,305 fans and the Famous San Diego Chicken. Conner had stints with South Bend in 2007 and 2008 and played 45 games with Yakima this season.

Justin Parker got the rally started against Lansing reliever Jason Roenicke (LP, 1-2) with a lead off single. Alfredo Marte advanced Parker to second with a sacrifice bunt, which was followed by an intentional walk to Alberto Diaz. Conner then grounded a 1-1 delivery just under the extended glove of Lugnut shortstop Taylor Pastornicky into left field. Brian Van Kirk fielded the ball and delivered a strike home, but Parker slid around the tag of catcher A.J. Jimenez to give South Bend the victory and set off a wild celebration at Coveleski Stadium.

Down 4-1 earlier in the contest, South Bend mounted a two-out rally off Lansing starter Chase Lirette (ND) in the sixth to tie the game. With nobody on base, Rossmel Perez and Parker hit back-to-back singles to bring up Marte. Marte blasted a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for his sixth home run of the year, in the process increasing his team-leading RBI total to 61.

The Lugnuts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off South Bend starter Randy Rodriguez with a two out rally of their own. Rodriguez (ND) retired the first two Lugnuts before allowing singles to Brian Van Kirk and Mike McDade and hitting Johermyn Chavez with a pitch to load the bases. Mark Sobolewski capped the rally with a two RBI single to put the Lugnuts up. Lansing increased their lead to 3-0 with a Jon Talley RBI double in the third.

With the bases loaded in the bottom half of the third, Reynaldo Navarro recorded an RBI on an error by Sobolewski to bring South Bend within two. Tyler Pastornicky then knocked his first home run of the season in the fourth to put Lansing up 4-1.

The South Bend bullpen was brilliant, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings. Justin Mace (WP, 2-2) threw a scoreless ninth and tenth to earn the victory. Bayron Zepeda (ND) struck out four in 2.0 scoreless innings, while Yonata Ortega (ND) added 2.0 empty frames of his own.

The Silver Hawks will conclude the four game series with the Lugnuts on a Fireworks Friday night beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. LHP Wade Miley (4-8, 4.09 ERA) will start for South Bend, with Lansing sending RHP Chad Beck (5-6, 5.88 ERA) to the mound. Pregame coverage begins at 6:40 PM on 1620 ESPN Radio and online at www.silverhawks.com.

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