Aces Fall to Colts, 8-3
June 1, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Alexandria Aces News Release
ALEXANDRIA- Kyle Nichols and Braden Embry hit back-to-back first inning home runs while Demetrius Banks set the tone for the day by striking out 10 batters and allowing only one run in a six inning stint as the San Angelo Colts defeated the Alexandria Aces, 8-3, Saturday night at Bringhurst Field.
Before he could even retire a hitter, Ryan "Bubba" Waters had allowed a grand slam to Nichols and another homer to Embry to almost the same spot in left centerfield to put the Aces (3-6) in a 5-0 hole.
Needing innings out of his starter, Von Hayes let Waters pitch three innings. The results were not impressive for the righthander from New Orleans and LSU-Alexandria, eight runs on nine hits and two walks despite five strikeouts.
"He got the ball up and out over the plate in the wrong areas," said Hayes. "The grand slam was a fastball thrown in the wrong spot."
Banks, in comparison, dominated the Aces hitters. He allowed only two scratch hits before Austin Newell hit his first home run of the year, an opposite field shot to left in the fifth inning.
"You don't have to worry about Banks," said Colts coach Mike Goss. "He's an 11-year veteran. He knows what he can and can't do. It's self explanatory."
Banks is now 2-0. Combined with the four starts he had last year down the stretch after being traded from the McAllen Thunder, Banks has won all of the six starts he has pitched for the Colts (6-3).
Additionally, three Colts relief pitchers, Russell Johns, Cephas Howard, and Alfredo Caballero, struck out a combined five Aces hitters, meaning Alexandria struck out 15 times in the game.
"I can't explain it," Hayes said. "We just swung right through fastballs."
Colts pitching coach Frank James pointed to the staff's ability not to throw first pitch strikes, but rather get the second strike on a hitter."
"We had 20 1-1 counts on their hitters in the game," James said, consulting a chart. "Twelve of the 20 times we got the second strike."
The Aces did receive four shutout innings from Aryo Fleming in long relief, and Leo Madrid also shut out the Colts for two innings.
"Fleming had command of his slider and he didn't make mistakes on his fastball," said Hayes, who had taken Fleming out of the starting rotation earlier in the week after two unimpressive starts.
"He needs to spot his fastball and use off speed pitches to keep hitters off balance. You don't need to throw hard to be effective, just ask Jamie Moyer."
San Angelo second baseman Jon Dziomba had four hits in the game. In the second inning, his single drove in Steve Rinaudo to make the score 6-0, and he scored the seventh run of the game two outs later after advancing to second on a pass ball by catcher Doug Freeman when Chris Cove singled to center.
Dziomba also plated Danny Hernandez on a two out double to left in the third.
The Aces scored the final two runs of the game in the seventh inning off Johns, who had loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Cameron Dullnig was hit by his league-leading fourth pitch, and Eddie Murray scored the final run after Cove was guilty of a pass ball.
"The positive is we put our team in a position, in terms of the bullpen, to win the next three games," said Hayes.
But he also made the following statement.
"This team is not where it needs to be to compete."
Alexandria lefthander Jon Jones (1-0) faces righthander Derek Christensen in the second game of the series Sunday night at 6:05 p.m. Jones has the second lowest earned run average in the league at 0.90.
United League Baseball Stories from June 1, 2013
- Colts Use Early Runs to Beat Aces - San Angelo Colts
- Aces Fall to Colts, 8-3 - Alexandria Aces
- Cats Win to Begin Road Campaign - Fort Worth Cats
- Roadrunners Drop Home Opener - Edinburg Roadrunners
- O'neill Drives Wings Past Thunder - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
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