PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Big Crowd at Rosenblatt Enjoys 8-7 Win

Published on June 7, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


OMAHA – A season-best crowd of 16,209 fans were cheering loudly as Omaha Royals reliever Nate Field fanned the final two Edmonton batters in an 8-7 win over the Trappers. The win snapped the Royals three-game losing streak and evened the series with Edmonton at a win apiece.

Field surrendered a solo homer to Terrmel Sledge with one out in the ninth to cut the Royals lead to a single run. It was Sledge's team-high tenth home run and second of this series.

Field then walked Joe Vitiello to put the tying run on base, but he came back to strike out Luis Ortiz swinging at an 0-2 breaking pitch. A wild pitch by Field sent pinch-runner Peter Bergeron to second base, but Field caught Valentino Pascucci looking at a called third strike to end the game and notch his second save.

Pascucci knocked in three of the Trappers' runs in the game, including a two-run double down the left field line in the eighth inning off Shawn Sedlacek. That was the third and final hit allowed by Sedlacek to lead off the frame, after he had retired Edmonton in order in both the sixth and seventh innings. Pascucci later scored to trim Omaha's lead to 7-6.

The Royals upped their advantage to 8-6 in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out, RBI double by Mike Kelly. His two-base hit into the gap in left-center off Blake Stein scored Morgan Burkhart, who was on first after coaxing his third walk of the game.

Burkhart had belted his club-leading eleventh home run of the season in the first inning off Edmonton starter Tim Drew (1-7), who wound up allowing five runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings. Juan Brito had a two-run double and Julius Matos delivered an RBI single in a three-run fourth inning. After Benny Agbayani hit a solo homer in the fifth, Matos collected an RBI double in the sixth and scored himself on a throwing error by Sledge in center field to put the Royals ahead 7-3.

Omaha starter Scott Mullen (3-3), making his first appearance since he made a relief appearance for Kansas City on May 27th, got the win. Mullen allowed just three hits and one earned run (three total), while striking out a season-high seven batters, in five frames.

The first 1,000 fans through the turnstiles received free corked mini-bats from the Royals and all fans enjoyed post-game fireworks, presented by NAIFA. Game 3 of the series is Saturday at 6:05 p.m.: LH Scott Downs (5-3, 3.88) vs. RH Ryan Baerlocher (2-0, 4.05). The first 1,500 fans will receive Kansas City Royals MLB caps. Air time is 5:45 p.m. on Fox Sports Radio 1490 and at www.Oroyals.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 7, 2003


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