AA American Association

American Association Recap

July 15, 2006 - American Association (AA) News Release


Coastal Bend 7, Pensacola 5 (10 innings)

@ Pensacola, FL. Time: 3:14 Attendance: 1,743

W: J.R. Pickens (8-3) L: Benny Walker (2-4) S: B.J. Litchfield (5)

HR: NONE

Coastal Bend used 13 hits and late scoring to outlast Pensacola in extra innings on the road to continue their impressive start to the second half. Starting pitcher J.R. Pickens picked up his eighth win thanks to 3 2/3 innings of relief in which he didn't allow a hit and struck out five of the 11 batters he faced. Trailing 5-1 heading into the seventh inning, Coastal Bend struck three times and scored again in the eighth to tie the game and force the extra frame. They plated two more runs in the tenth to improve their record to 9-2 thus far. SS Jack Joffrion led the way at the plate for the Aviators. He was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

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Sioux City 9, St. Joe 6

@ St. Joseph, MO. Time: 2:43 Attendance: 1,832

W: Nate Holguin (2-0) L: Evan Thomas (4-7) S: Sean Kramer (11)

HR: SC-Jorge Moreno (11), Ryan Gripp (9)

Sioux City took care off all its scoring in the third, fourth and fifth innings to jump out to a 9-1 lead. After a strong St. Joe seventh inning that saw that lead cut to 9-6, the Explorers held on to pull back to .500 for the second half. Nate Holguin picked up the win for Sioux City allowing five earned runs on eight hits through six innings. Closer Sean Kramer came on to pitch the ninth and struck out one of the four batters he faced en route to earning his 11th save of the season. With that save, Kramer remains among the top five closers in the American Association.

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Shreveport 10, St. Paul 3

@ Shreveport, LA. Time: 2:44 Attendance: 1,428

W: Erik Wikstrom (8-2) L: T.J. Stanton (5-5) S: NONE

HR: SH-Todd Self (1)

First half South Division champion Shreveport powered its way past St. Paul, using 15 total hits to produce double-digit runs and beat the Saints by a wide margin. Starting pitcher Erik Wikstrom continued his good pitching this season, tossing 6 2/3 solid innings and allowing three runs, all earned. With the win Wikstrom improves to 8-2 on the season, tying him for the most in the American Association. LF Todd Self was 2-for-4 on the night and hit his first home run of the year. DH Chad Gambill was 4-for-5 out of the cleanup spot with two runs scored and three RBIs. Gambill and the three hitters in front of him each scored twice in the win.

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Lincoln 3, Sioux Falls 1

@ Lincoln, NE. Time: 2:45 Attendance: 4,521

W: Brian Rodaway (5-2) L: Robert Barrett (2-1) S: Jeff Blitstein (1)

HR: NONE

Sioux Falls posted a run in the first inning, but never could manage another en route to a 3-1 Saltdogs victory in front of a home crowd of 4,521 at Haymarket Park. Starting pitcher Brian Rodaway was solid through six innings. He allowed one unearned run on four hits and struck out 10 to improve to 5-2 on the year. Right-handed reliever Jeff Blitstein came on to pitch the last three innings of the contest and kept the Canaries scoreless on just two hits to record his first save. 3B Jay Yaconetti led the Saltdogs at the plate. He was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Sioux Falls 1B Abner Arroyo continued to display his prowess at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Canaries in the losing effort.

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Fort Worth 5, El Paso 4

@ Fort Worth, TX. Time: 2:56 Attendance: 4,877

W: Matt Harrington (2-1) L: Andy Torres (5-4) S: Steven Wilkerson (6)

HR: FW-Terence Green (2), Jordan Foster (7), Matt Spencer (4)

After trailing the entire game, Fort worth got back-to-back solo home runs from CF Jordan Foster and LF/RF Matt Spencer to take a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning that closer Steven Wilkerson upheld in the ninth inning for his sixth save of the season. The win gives Fort Worth sole possession of second place in the South Division with a record of 6-5, three games behind division leader Coastal Bend. 3B Terence Green also had a good game at the plate. He was 2-for-4, including his second home run - a three-run shot that got the Cats to within a run in the second.

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STANDINGS

NORTH DIVISION W L GB

Sioux Falls (24-24) 6 5 --

St. Joe (26-22) 6 6 0.5

Sioux City (16-32) 6 6 0.5

St. Paul (29-19) 5 6 1.0

x-Lincoln (31-17) 4 7 2.0

SOUTH DIVISION W L GB

Coastal Bend (23-25) 9 2 --

Fort Worth (24-24) 6 5 3.0

x-Shreveport (26-22) 6 6 3.5

El Paso (17-31) 5 7 4.5

Pensacola (24-24) 4 7 5.0

x-won first half. First-half record is in parentheses.

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Tomorrow's Schedule (All times are Central):

Sioux Falls (Aaron Garrison, 4-3) at Lincoln (Ben Fox, 5-2) 2:05 PM

Coastal Bend (Bryan Heaston, 3-2) at Pensacola (Bubba Dobson, 2-1) 6:05 PM

St. Paul (Charlie Ruud, 3-4) at Shreveport (Ryan Snyder, 3-4) 6:05 PM

Sioux City (Aaron Marsden, 1-3) at St. Joe (Donovan Graves, 6-2) 7:05 PM

El Paso (David McWatters, 2-7) at Fort Worth (Ryan Weems, 2-4) 7:05 PM

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