Aces Fall to Thunder 11-9
May 25, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Alexandria Aces News Release
ALEXANDRIA- Three home runs were not enough to overcome eight Texas Thunder runs in the third inning as the Alexandria Aces lost their second game of the 2013 season, 11-9.
Aces righthander Aryo Fleming, a one-time Atlanta Braves draft pick who played collegiately at LSU-Alexandria, walked four straight batters in the third to open the floodgates to the Thunder. Jacinto Cipriota, Lucas Nakandakare, and Jacob Douglas all followed with run-scoring singles off reliever Jadd Schmelfzer to highlight the frame that put Alexandria into an 8-0 deficit.
"Just trying to do too much," said Fleming (0-1), who was making his professional debut. "I was just thinking too much. I'll get it. I've been doing this my whole life. I'll get the herks and jerks out. I'm here for a reason."
Little by little, however, the Aces trimmed the Thunder's lead by scoring in all of the final six innings of the game.
Zack Cadet, Eldred Barnett, and cleanup hitter Derrick Pyles all hit home runs to lead the comeback, and the Aces final two hitters actually represented the tying run at the plate.
But righthander Alex Fernandez was able to retire both second baseman Jason Thomas, who had been on base three times in the game, and pinch-hitter Cameron Dullnig to end the threat and earn his first save.
"He saved the game," said Thunder manager Eddie Dennis of Fernandez. "We have a good enough team with my pitching to win a lot of games."
Dennis was referring to his bullpen. He used four relievers after Elnesto Verriel ran into trouble and allowed two runs in the fifth.
Patrick Dorland (1-0), despite allowing Cadet's 2-run homer in the sixth, was credited with the victory after throwing two innings, and Douglas, who started the game at first base, threw 2 1/3 innings allowing only two hits, the home runs by Barnett and Pyles.
Dennis also pointed to his shortstop, Andy White, as a key factor in the Thunder's victory.
"The two plays the shortstop [White] made changed the whole game," he said.
First White showed plenty of range to his left and made a long throw to retire fellow shortstop Eddie Murray to end the fifth inning immediately after Cadet's 2-run homer to left made the score 8-4.
Then, with the score 10-7 and runners on first and second with only one out in the bottom of the seventh, White turned a crisp 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Thomas to end the Aces' threat. Nakandakare had two hits and drove in three runs for the Thunder, and speedy right fielder Tim Battle also had two hits, two walks, two runs and an RBI for Texas.
"I like him [Battle] because he has plenty of power and he always gives 150 percent" said Dennis.
Battle also had a stolen base, his third of the series.
"He might steal 80 bases playing every day," said Dennis.
Elred Battle collected two hits and scored twice for the Aces and also stole a base.
Meanwhile, Von Hayes liked what he saw out of the other LSU-Alexandria product who pitched in the game, Ryan Waters. The big righthanded reliever who threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out three.
Lefty Leo Madrid added a perfect inning of relief in the ninth for Alexandria
The two teams play the third game of their four game series Saturday night at Bringhurst Field at 7:05 p.m. Ryan Zimmerman will pitch for the Aces against fellow righthander Trent Evins.
NOTES- The Aces released infielder Santiago Rodriguez from the inactive list.
First baseman Nick Mahin will miss the next two games to attend a wedding. Michael Haynes will likely move from third base to first.
Hayes believes Haynes is his best defensive infielder and views him as a shortstop eventually.
"The ingredients are there, but unfortunately because of our third base situation we've had to use him in other positions.
For the second straight game, the Aces committed four errors. As a result, Alexandria gave up unearned runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
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