Back at home, Espinosa fuels AirHogs rout

Published on July 30, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- Back in the comforts of QuikTrip Park after a tough 2-7 road trip, the Grand Prairie AirHogs welcomed in new outfielder and leadoff hitter Stephen Douglas, acquired earlier in the day in a trade from El Paso. They also welcomed back Cesar Nicolas and John Alonso to the lineup after they both missed time in the last series due to injuries. And while that trio certainly helped the AirHogs' offense against the Lincoln Saltdogs on Friday night, the one stalwart who has been in Ricky VanAsselberg's lineup every day this season was the biggest bat, as David Espinosa hit two home runs, drove in five runs, and fell a triple short of the cycle in the AirHogs' 11-4 win in front of a big QuikTrip Night crowd of 3,784.

After a bizarre first two innings, Grand Prairie (44-26) fell behind 2-0 against Vince Bongiovanni (1-2). Jorge Cortes led off the first with a triple, but was promptly thrown out at home by rightfielder Tyler Henley when he tried to tag on Gavin Dickey's fly ball. A walk and a single restarted thing for the Saltdogs (34-37), and Rafael Alvarez's single through the left side looked to give Lincoln the lead. But Douglas's throw to the plate just nipped Phil Hawke for the third out.

Hawke and Saltdogs manager Marty Scott certainly felt that catcher Chris McMurray never tagged him, and Scott was eventually tossed by home plate umpire Ben Lavine.

After the excellent defense of the first inning, Grand Prairie's infield defense let starter Josh Rainwater (11-4) down in the second. With one out, Brandon Jones reached on an error at third, before third baseman Bryan Frichter had trouble getting the ball out of his glove on a grounder from Joe Ramos, leading to a fielder's choice where both runners were safe. Vance Albitz's potential inning-ending double play grounder was then misplayed by shortstop Guillermo Martinez, allowing Jones to score the first run. A two-out walk loaded the bases, and Hawke bounced a slow ball over the mound for an infield single and a 2-0 lead.

But Rainwater, who re-took sole possession of the league lead in victories, allowed only one run after that, battling through six innings as his offense got things going.

Alonso walked to start the bottom of the second, but was still at first with two outs when Martinez singled. Henley then ripped a two-run double to deep right-center to tie the game at 2-2, and the AirHogs never trailed again.

Another walk started the third, this time to birthday boy David Thomas, who turned 25 on Friday. Espinosa then launched his first homer of the night, a deep drive that left the stadium past the rightfield seats. Nicolas and Alonso then hit back-to-back doubles to give the AirHogs another run, and Alonso went on to score on a wild pitch by Bongiovanni.

The Lincoln starter left after five, and Martinez greeted Nick Schreiber with a double to start the bottom of the sixth. After a flyout by Henley, Douglas hit an RBI double. Thomas then drew another walk, Espinosa doubled in two more and Nicolas doubled to make it 10-3.

Espinosa hit his second home run of the night in the eighth off Paul Koss, a fly ball down the leftfield line, while Kyle Gunderson gave up a home run to Curt Smith on the first pitch he threw but then got the final nine outs without giving anything else up to get his first save of the season.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from July 30, 2011


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.

OurSports Central