Apodaca hits three homers in Dodger victory

Published on August 20, 2006 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Vero Beach Devil Rays News Release


(Vero Beach, FL) - Juan Apodaca hit a franchise-record three home runs to help the Vero Beach Dodgers to a 16-6 drubbing of the Jupiter Hammerheads Sunday night at Holman Stadium. Drew Locke drove in four runs, while David Nicholson swatted four hits to fill out Apodaca's big night. The Dodgers next travel to Brevard County for a 3-game series beginning Monday night at 7:00 PM.

The Dodgers wasted little time getting started after the game began 10 minutes late. Jupiter's bus did not arrive on time to take the team to Vero Beach and that caused the delay. But the Dodgers were ready and put six runs on the board in the first inning, thanks in large part to a bases loaded double from Locke and a 3-run homer off the batter's eye in center from Apodaca.

The onslaught continued in the second. Nicholson tripled with one out and Russ Mitchell doubled him in. Mitchell eventually scored on an error to open up an 8-0 lead. The advantage grew in the third when Apodaca pulled a solo homer to left. Shane Justis followed with a single and eventually came home on a double from Eloy Gutierrez, making it 10-0.

Dodgers starter Cory Wade (2-3) lasted long enough to get the win, though he ran out of gas in the fifth. The Hammerheads scratched him for five runs that inning on a 2-run homer from Kyle Padgett and a 3-run shot from J.T. Restko. That pulled Jupiter to within 10-6 but it turned out to be the closest they would come to the Dodgers.

Zach Hammes dealt two perfect relief innings. Brent Leach and Ryan Ketchner then each threw a scoreless frame to finish the night. Each pitcher put up impressive strikeout numbers and the team totaled 14 K's for the game.

Vero put the game out of reach later. After scoring a run in the 6th, Apodaca hit his third home run of the game in the 7th. It was an opposite-field shot, giving him a homer to each part of the ballpark.

Then the Dodgers scored four more runs in the 8th. Drew Locke singled in two and Xavier Paul brought in another with his only hit of the game.

Apodaca, Nicholson, Gutierrez and Mitchell eached scored three times in the game. Apodaca finished with five RBI and Locke tallied four. The 16 runs were the most scored by the Dodgers in any single game this year.

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Florida State League Stories from August 20, 2006


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