BlueClaws fall 6-5 in 12 innings
Published on July 22, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- For the third consecutive game the BlueClaws and the Asheville Tourists needed bonus baseball to decide an outcome. But unlike the first two games of the series, the Tourists claimed victory, notching a 6-5 12-inning win at McCormick Field on Tuesday night.
Asheville capitalized on three BlueClaws errors to the tune of three unearned runs against BlueClaws starter Vance Worley and still needed extra frames to fell Lakewood. Everth Cabrera scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th on a walk-off single off the bat of Brian Rike. Rike's game-winning drive to center came with two outs and two on against BlueClaws reliever Moises Melendez.
Unlike the first two games in the series on Tuesday it was the BlueClaws that forced extra frames, tallying a run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5. Lakewood had a great chance to score the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, but Joel Naughton was thrown out at the plate to end the threat.
The ninth inning opportunity was the last real offensive chance for the 'Claws, who put just one runner on base in the extra innings. Tim Kennelly's 12th inning leadoff single was all Lakewood could manage in the final three innings.
The BlueClaws did take a 4-1 lead after the top of the third inning, thanks to a two-run home run from Mike Durant. The long ball was the 13th of the season for the BlueClaws first baseman, but his first since June 25.
But Asheville countered with some power of their own, blasting two long balls in the sixth off of Worley. Heldor Velazquez went deep to tie the game at 4-4, before David Christensen homered two batters later to give the Tourists the lead.
Worley departed after the sixth, giving up five runs, two earned, on eight hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.
The Lakewood bullpen, whichhad been so strong in recent weeks, was excellent again. Chris Kissock pitched three scoreless innings, before Reymond Cruz got scoreless innings in the 10th and 11th. Cruz (0-1) gave up the leadoff hit to Cabrera and was charged with the loss.
Freddy Galvis started hot, extending his consecutive on-base streak to eight at-bats before grounding out in the eighth. The BlueClaws shortstop went 1-for-3, but also walked twice.
Lakewood (21-11, 59-43) still has a chance for a series win over the Tourists (19-13, 65-37) with a victory on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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