Pacifics "Dress" To Impress, Fall Short In Historic Game Against The Stompers
June 28, 2014 - North American League (NAmL)
San Rafael Pacifics News Release
SAN RAFAEL,Calif.- For the first time ever, a men's professional baseball team played in dresses in a historic game between the San Rafael Pacifics and visiting Sonoma Stompers. The Pacifics (13-8), donning pink dresses in the style of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, dropped the first game of three game series 4-3 to the visiting Sonoma Stompers (12-10). The pink dress uniforms were part of the Pacifics Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend with proceeds from the weekend going to the "To Celebrate Life" Breast Cancer Foundation.
Sonoma Stompers Gabriel Garcia improved to 4-0 on the season with the win going eight innings, surrendering nine hits and three earned runs. Jesse Smith (2-3) went seven innings and gave up seven hits and four runs, three earned, while tallying five strikeouts in the loss. Stompers closer Mike Jackson Jr. earned his league leading seventh save.
After a relatively quiet first two innings, David Kiriakos picked up the Pacifics first hit of the game in the bottom of the third inning with a single to left field. Zack Pace followed with an RBI single to score Kiriakos for the Pacifics first run of the game. On the play Kiriakos was able to avoid Jaime Del Valle's tag by sliding past home plate and diving back to the bag to score the run.
The Stompers took the lead in the top of the fifth inning scoring three runs on two hits and a walk. Jesse Smith needed to get four outs to get out of the inning after Matt Hibbert advanced to first on a wild pitch strikeout.
The Pacifics threatened to answer in the bottom of the fifth inning with runners on the corners with one out, but Garcia was able to get out of the jam with an inning-ending double play.
In the sixth inning the Pacifics threatened again after a Zack Pace leadoff double off the top of the right field wall but Garcia was able to retire the next three batters to get out of the inning. Mike Orefice slid into first base but was called out by base umpire Ron Adams. Orefice tried to argue his case but was ejected by Adams. Johnny Woodard replaced Orefice at first base in the top of the seventh.
Matt Hibbert added a pivotal insurance run in the seventh inning with a solo homerun to push the Stompers lead to 4-1.
The Pacifics rallied in the bottom of the eighth scoring two runs cutting the Stompers lead to one. Evan Boyd lead off the inning with a stand up triple and scored on Pace's third hit of the night. The Pacifics tacked on a second run with a two-out RBI single by Jeremy Williams.
The Pacifics ninth inning rally fell short, as they were unable to score Chase Fontaine after Fontaine's leadoff single off Jackson Jr.
The second game of the three game series between the Pacifics and Stompers is on Saturday at 5:05 P.M.
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North American League Stories from June 28, 2014
- Pacifics Drop Second Straight Game, Lose 11-5 - San Rafael Pacifics
- Pacifics "Dress" To Impress, Fall Short In Historic Game Against The Stompers - San Rafael Pacifics
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