Brownell, Bats Get AirHogs on Verge of Playoffs

Published on August 13, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- In the first inning on Friday, the hottest team of late in the American Association played like it, as the El Paso Diablos, winners of 10 of 11 coming into play, got three straight hits with one out to grab a 2-0 lead. But the team with the best record in the league all year turned things around from the third inning on, as the Grand Prairie AirHogs scored the final 12 runs to win 12-2 in front of 2,538 at QuikTrip Park.

With the win and the Gary SouthShore RailCats' victory over the Shreveport-Bossier Captains, the AirHogs (54-30) reduced their magic number to clinch the South Division to two - meaning the playoff berth can be clinched as early as Saturday.

John Brownell (10-3) rebounded from the rough first to pitch into the eighth, and did not allow another run, scattering 10 hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Diablos starter Luis Montaño (1-4) allowed two hits and faced one over the minimum through two, the AirHogs (54-30) took the lead for good in the third. With one out in the inning, German Duran hit the first pitch of his Grand Prairie tenure for a double down the leftfield line.

Danny Figueroa then hit a fly ball to center, and centerfielder Kory Drew slipped trying to get it, turning it into an RBI double. Stephen Douglas and David Espinosa followed with walks, before Montaño balked in the tying run. Cesar Nicolas then hit a sacrifice fly to give Grand Prairie the lead.

In the fifth, Joey Gomes singled with two outs and two on to bring in a run, and Drew bobbled the ball to let another run score. A walk to David Thomas chased Montaño, but reliever Gilbert Tussey walked Chris McMurray and Duran to force in the AirHogs' sixth run.

John Alonso hit his first home run at home this season and his 10th of the year overall leading off the seventh, and after a pair of hits, McMurray and Duran hit sacrifice flies to make it 9-2. Gomes capped the scoring an inning later with a long three-run homer, his first of the year with the AirHogs.

After Brownell left with one on and two outs in the eighth, Matt Sartor retired the final four Diablos hitters to finish the game off.

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American Association Stories from August 13, 2011


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