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Abilene outlasts first-place Cats

June 15, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


FORT WORTH, TX - To select one pivotal moment over the course of a 96 game schedule can be an overwhelming task, but the Prairie Dogs may have found theirs over the past two nights in Fort Worth. In what quickly morphed into a pitcher's duel, Abilene outlasted the first-place Cats with a 2-1 victory on Friday night, marking their first win streak of the season.

At one point, not too long ago, Eddie Browne found himself buried on the Prairie Dogs' bench, but Friday night marked the second game in the last week-and-a-half in which Browne has collected a go-ahead R.B.I. in the top of the ninth inning. It was his flair single into shallow right-field in that scored pinch-runner Bryan Fogle to hand the Dogs a one-run lead.

Nick Ochoa began the ninth inning rally with a one-out single. After Fogle pinch-ran and moved from first to third on a pair of wild pitchers, the newest Prairie Dog - Chris Caves - worked a two out walk. That brought Browne to the plate in position to collect his sixth R.B.I. of the season.

Adam Rowe started for the Dogs and returned to ace-form after a loss in San Angelo on Saturday. The lefty worked into the eighth inning for the second time this season and allowed only one run on five hits while striking out eight.

Rowe retired the first seven men he faced before allowing a game-tying single to Shelby Ford in the fourth. Rowe began the eighth inning by striking out C.J. Beatty but then hit John Dziomba in a tie game. David Slovak was the first man out of the bullpen, and the righty needed only a single pitch to force Chad Gabriel to bounce into a 1-4-3 double play to end the eighth.

The Prairie Dogs registered their first run in the top of the first. Wilson Batista bunted for a two-out base hit and stole second. Joe Weik then hit a grounder up the middle that struck second base and deflected into left-field for an R.B.I. single, his team-leading 18th of the season.

Trevor Harden started for Fort Worth and was equally as masterful as Rowe. The righty from Florida pitched eight wonderful innings, fanned six, walked two, and allowed only a run on four hits. Beginning with Browne's sacrifice bunt in the top of the second inning, Harden retired 20 of the last 23 batters he faced before giving way to Mace Thurman in the ninth.

In the fifth inning, Kyle Nichols registered his 1,000 career base hit with a single into left-center.

The Prairie Dogs will play the third game of a four-game series in Fort Worth on Saturday night at 7:05. Hear the game beginning with the pregame show at 6:55 on 106.9 KLGD and abileneprairiedogs.com.



North American League Stories from June 15, 2012


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