Along the Pecos League Trail
by Bruce Baskin
August 2, 2023 - Pecos League (Pecos)
SAN RAFAEL ADVANCES TO PACIFIC FINALS; MOUNTAIN SEMIS OPEN
The 2023 Pecos League playoff first round continued Tuesday night, with San Rafael eliminating Lancaster, 4-0, in the Pacific Division semifinals while Monterey walked off with an 11-10 win at Bakersfield. Tucson topped Garden City, 12-1, in their Mountain Division opener but Alpine's Game One at home against Trinidad was rained out and will be made up Wednesday.
SAN RAFAEL 4-11-0, Lancaster 0-1-2 (San Rafael wins series, 2 games to 0)
Jake Dent combined with two relievers on a one-hit shutout as the San Rafael Pacifics completed a two-game sweep of the Pacific Division semifinals with a 4-0 home win over Lancaster Tuesday night at Albert Park. A 6'4 ¬Â righthander from Sonoma State, Dent allowed only a second inning single by Jacob Jablonski over six innings, striking out six. Josh Idell and Billy Babb combined to hold the Sound Breakers hitless over the last three frames of the contest, which was scoreless until a leadoff homer by Beau Dorman in the bottom of the eighth for the Paifics unknotted the tie. Dorman finished with three hits on the night for the winners. Brian Blackburn took the loss for Lancaster after carrying his own shutout through seven frames.
MONTEREY 11-9-1, Bakersfield 10-12-0 {10} (Series tied at 1 win apiece)
In a game that featured a combined 21 runs on as many hits, it was a wild pitch that gave the Monterey Amberjacks an 11-10 walkoff win in the bottom of the tenth at Bakersfield's Sam Lynn Ballpark, tying the Pacific Division semi series at a game apiece. After Train Robbers reliever Hunter Adams had walked the bases full with one out, Adams uncorked a wild pitch on a 1-1 count to Monterey's Dominic Scotti that got past Paul Van Sboray, who'd been shifted to catcher from first bas the previous inning, allowing Anthony Ward to streak in from third with the game-winning run. Ward homered earlier in the second straight 100-degree night while Bakersfield's Christian Jones went deep for the second game in a row. Scotti earned the win after having pitched a scoreless tenth.
TUCSON 12-15-0, Garden City 1-6-2 (Tucson leads series, 1 game to 0)
Tucson jumped on Garden City starter Jordan Harris for four runs in the bottom of the second inning, including a two-run double by JuJuan Franklin, and went on to still the Wind, 12-1, at Kino Stadium to win the first game of their Mountain Division semifinal series. Franklin later stroked a run-scoring triple one inning later and finished with three RBIs on the night, matching Saguaros teammate Madison Santos. Garden City's lone run of the game came in the top of the third when Dylan Wilkinson sliced a leadoff double, advanced to third on a Leo Gallegos groundout to first and scored on a Najay King sacrifice fly to left. Isaac Keehn allowed one run on six scattered hits to earn the win for Tucson while Harris was tagged with the loss after letting in eight tallies in 3.1 innings.
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Pecos League Stories from August 2, 2023
- Along the Pecos League Trail - OSC Original by Bruce Baskin
- Along the Pecos League Trail - OSC Original by Bruce Baskin
- Along the Pecos League Trail - OSC Original by Bruce Baskin
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