AirHogs Hold Off Diablos in Rubber Game

Published on August 19, 2010 under American Association (AA)
El Paso Diablos News Release


Grand Prairie was able to hold on to beat El Paso 5-4 in the finale of their season series at QuickTrip Park on Thursday night. After dropping the first game of the series the AirHogs came back to win the next two to claim the series. Grand Prairie ends up winning the season series 12-7 against El Paso.

El Paso got on the board first on a J.D. Reininger RBI ground out in the fourth inning. The game would remain 1-0 until the sixth inning when the AirHogs loaded up the bases with two outs and Ernie Banks unloaded the bases with a double giving his team a 3-1 lead. El Paso rallied back to get a run on a Adam Deleo run scoring single in the seventh. Grand Prairie increased their lead to 5-2 in the seventh inning when they loaded up the bases with no one out and then got a hit from Daniel Berg. El Paso was right there to answer again in the eighth inning when Kyle Nichols hit a home run to cut the lead to one once again. That was as close as they would get as the Diablos went 1-2-3 in the ninth inning.

Jesse Estrada, in his third start for El Paso, started the night great and worked very easily through five innings, giving up two soft singles and was never in serious danger. All that changed in the sixth inning when he allowed the three runs on two walks and two doubles. He went back out in the seventh but quickly got into trouble by loading up the bases with no outs. He left after recording one out in the seventh inning. Estrada (0-2) allowed five runs on seven hits. Luke Prihoda (6-6), a pitcher whom El Paso has enjoyed plenty of success against this season, was outstanding in shutting down the Diablos line-up. He picked up the win going seven innings and allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out seven.

The Diablos were held to just eight hits again. They were never able to get more than nine hits in any game in the three game series. Kyle Nichols had a big night going 2-3 with a double and a home run. It is his first home run since August 1 and his first multi RBI game since August 2. Arnoldo Ponce went 1-4 but extended his hit streak to 12 straight games.

El Paso heads back home to start a big three game series with Wichita who comes in trailing the division race in the north division by just a half game. Amad Stephens (5-8, 5.67) will make the spot start against his former team. Gabe Medina (3-7, 3.99) will be on the hill for Wichita. Game time is set for 7:05. Fireworks will follow the game. Fans can listen in online at www.diablos.com.

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American Association Stories from August 19, 2010


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