Alexandria Aces Beat Rio Grande Valley 18-10
May 30, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Alexandria Aces News Release
ALEXANDRIA- At 30, Derrick Pyles is the oldest player on the Alexandria Aces.
So on Monday, the first off day the Aces season provided, one might excuse the veteran if maybe he spent the off day checking out his new surroundings in Alexandria or rested.
Instead, Pyles was at Bringhurst Field, hitting balls off a tee until sundown.
How much could a man who first played pro baseball in 2006 improve in such a workout? Plenty.
Pyles came to bat four times in Alexandria's 18-10 victory against the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. All four times he reached base, all four times he scored.
Add to the mix a 3-run home run to left field off Antony Bello in the bottom of the third inning that put the Aces (2-4) on top 6-4, and Pyles practice made perfect.
"I put in a about a million swings off the tee. This is a game you have to pick the weeds off of your garden daily," said Pyles, whose line officially read 3 for 3 with a walk and four runs batted in. "The tee is the best thing to improve your swing if you're not hitting line drives off the tee, you know you have a problem with your swing."
Pyles, who was just 4 for 18 this season entering the game, now is tied for the United League lead in home runs with two.
"He's been battling himself a bit. Sometimes it takes awhile to square the baseball. He's been popping it up but today it looks like he did it," said Aces manager Von Hayes.
But Pyles wasn't the only player whose work with his swing paid off on Wednesday. Hayes worked with catcher Doug Freeman to simplify his swing by holding the bat higher.
As a result, Freeman collected three hits, scored three times, and drove in runs during Aces rallies in the fourth and fifth inning where they scored four and five runs, respectively, to take a 13-5 lead after five.
Cameron Dullnig also answered the call to break the Aces' four game losing streak. Dullnig, who was activated from the inactive list prior to the game after Craig Littleman injured his hamstring on Tuesday, not only drove in the tying run during a 3-run rally in the first inning to answer a home run to right by Rio Grande Valley's Aaron Gates that gave the WhiteWings (2-4) an early 2-0 lead, but also contributed with a sacrifice fly that plated Austin Newell with the first run of the 4-run fourth.
Dullnig, a relief pitcher for the Fort Worth Cats last season, then took the mound for the final two innings of the game to save the Aces' bullpen, which had been called upon 12 times in the previous two games.
"Dullnig filled the void today. He's kind of the microcosm of indpendent league baseball," Hayes said. "In indpendent baseball you'll see guys play multiple positions like that. They're trying anything they can to stick.
"With him, it wasn't a question of talent [why we inactivated him]. It was a matter of numbers [roster space]."
A San Antonio native, Dullnig's father drove from Texas earlier in the week to see him play, but went back when he was inactivated earlier in the week, only to turn around and arrive in Alexandria on Wednesday to see his son play.
"It's crazy," Cameron Dullnig said. "On Tuesday I'm watching from the stands. Next thing I know Skip comes over and asks me if I can play. That's the way the game works sometimes."
Dullnig had been bothered by what he called a twinge in his right arm that had prevented him from pitching until Wednesday's game, but he thinks he's on the right track now.
"Something popped, but it was a release of tension when I threw in spring training," he said. "I just hate that coming back had to come because of an injured teammate."
Winning pitcher Leo Madrid also had injuries to overcome. Called upon to pitch for three innings when starter Aryo Fleming gave up five runs in the first four innings, Madrid pitched three innings on a twisted ankle suffered while relieving on Tuesday.
But the Aces' lefty out of the bullpen set down the WhiteWings in order in the fifth before being touched for two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn the pitching victory.
"It was all arm," the 5-8 Madrid (1-0) said. "I think I'll be out for the next three days."
Every batter in the starting lineup for both teams collected at least one hit in the game. Aces centerfielder Zack Cadet, who made a diving catch of a sinking liner in the sixth inning with his team up 17-7, had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in five runs from his leadoff spot.
First baseman Nick Mahin also had three hits, scored four runs, and hit his first home run of the year off Kyle Roliard to lead off the fifth.
Rio Grande Valley's Thomas Shull had three hits and drove in two runs in a losing cause, while Albert Carpen hit two triples. Ninth place hitter Troy Zawadzki drove in four runs.
Anthony Bello (0-2) took the loss for the WhiteWings. The lefty allowed 13 hits and 12 runs, 11 earned, in a 3 1/3 inning stint.
The two teams play again on Thursday at Bringhurst Field in the third game of the four game series at 7:05 p.m. Ryan Zimmerman, who threw seven shutout innings on Saturday against Texas, pitches for the Aces against fellow righthander Ray Hanson (0-1).
• Discuss this story on the United League Baseball message board...
United League Baseball Stories from May 30, 2013
- Roadrunners Drop Heart Breaker - Edinburg Roadrunners
- Colts Earn First Walk-Off Win of 2013 - San Angelo Colts
- Zimmerman Blanks Wings - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
- Aces Announce "Thirsty Thursday" Promotion - Alexandria Aces
- Alexandria Aces Beat Rio Grande Valley 18-10 - Alexandria Aces
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
