Luis Rodriguez Blasts Bridgeport's First Grand Slam Of Season
September 5, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(York, PA) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (27-27, 53-71) were defeated by the York Revolution (29-24, 53-70) 10-6 at Santander Stadium on Friday night as Salvador Paniagua delivered a walk-off grand slam in the bottom half of the ninth inning off Jimmy Patterson. The Bluefish suffered their second consecutive loss in the opposition's final turn at bat as the Revolution take the opener of a four-game Labor Day weekend wraparound series.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher Brandon Bixler did not factor in the game's final outcome, lasting four innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking six, striking out three, and surrendering two home runs. York Starting Pitcher Logan Williamson also picked up a no-decision, tossing four and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs (five earned runs) on seven hits, walking one, striking out two, and allowing one home run. Mike DeMark (1-0) picked up the victory for York with a perfect inning of relief, striking out two. Patterson (1-2) suffered his second loss in as many nights for the Bluefish, giving up four runs on three hits along with an intentional walk and a grand slam in one-third of an inning of work.
York took the early 2-0 lead off Bixler in the home half of the first inning on a two-run home run off the bat of Brandon Boggs, with Andres Perez crossing the plate in front of him after he was issued a two-out walk. Bridgeport has now been outscored by their opponents 74-51 in the first inning of ballgames during the 2015 campaign. Bridgeport answered right back in the top of the second with four runs off Williamson on a grand-slam home run by Luis Rodriguez, and just like that the 'Fish had their first lead of the night at 4-2. The "salami" was the second roundtripper on the year for the veteran backstop playing in his 23rd season of professional baseball, and the first grand slam for Bridgeport in 2015.
Already leading 4-3, the Bluefish would add a pair of insurance runs in the fifth for a 6-3 edge. All-Star Welington Dotel drove home Bryan Sabatella with a run-scoring base knock, extending his team-high hitting streak to 17 consecutive games. Sabatella singled earlier in the frame to extend his on-base streak to 27 straight games, the most by a Bridgeport player this year. CJ Retherford followed Dotel with an RBI single of his own to score Josh Prince, and the 'Fish had a three-run cushion.
The Revolution would storm all the way back and eventually tie the game up at six in the bottom of the eighth inning on a solo blast by Nick Ferdinand off Steven Ames. Bridgeport did not push a run across in the top of the ninth, opening the door for York to close the game out, and that is exactly what they did off Patterson. Andres Perez started the rally with a leadoff single, and the winning-run was on board. With one out, Bryan Pounds singled to right field, and Pounds and Perez advanced to second and third on an error by Dotel, the fourth miscue on the night committed by Bridgeport. Telvin Nash, who belted a home run earlier in the contest, was intentionally walked to load the bases for Paniagua, and on the first pitch he saw from Patterson he launched the grand slam, the fourth big fly of the night for York, who handed the 'Fish their tenth walk-off loss of the season and second in the last 24 hours. Ethan Chapman led the way for the Bluefish with two hits.
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