Legends Break Tie in 8th, Win 5-2
July 27, 2014 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release
(WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK, Lexington, Ky.) The Lexington Legends scored the go-ahead run on a squeeze bunt by Kenny Diekroeger in the bottom of the eighth inning and went on to a 5-2 win over the Savannah Sand Gnats Sunday.
The score was tied 2-2 when Fred Ford led off the eighth with an infield single. He was sacrificed to second by Alexis Rivera and moved to third on a wild pitch. After Carlos Garcia walked, Diekroeger put down a bunt to the first base side of the mound. Pitcher Dario Alvarez threw high to home as Ford scored the tie-breaking run. Garcia advanced to third on the error, and Diekroeger moved to second.
Mauricio Ramos followed with a two-run single, giving the Legends a 5-2 lead.
The Legends had taken a 1-0 lead on Diekroeger's leadoff homer in the third inning, but Savannah tied the game with a run in the fifth. Stefan Sabol led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Patrick Biondi drew a walk, and both runners moved up on a balk by Legends starter Luis Rico. Sabol scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Yeixon Ruiz.
The Sand Gnats took a 2-1 lead in the sixth on a triple by Matt Oberste and a passed ball charged to catcher Chad Johnson.
The Legends rallied with two outs and no one on base in the bottom of the seventh. Johnson
drew a walk and advanced to third on a single by Elier Hernandez. Alvarez relieved Bret Mitchell for Savannah, but delivered a wild pitch as Humberto Arteaga swung and missed on a third strike. Johnson came home with the tying run.
Both teams missed numerous scoring opportunities. The Legends left 13 men on base; the Sand Gnats stranded 10.
Jose Rodriguez (3-1), who entered the game at the start of the sixth inning, got the win. Tim Hill pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his third save.
The Legends have won the first two games of the series, which continues Monday. A doubleheader is scheduled in order to make up a game that was rained out in Savannah July 21. The first of two seven-inning games will begin at 5:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4 p.m.
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