Burrus' hot bat, 4 RBIs catapult Surf to 10-6 victory
July 12, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Atlantic City Surf News Release
Ottawa, ON- Atlantic City Surf outfielder Josh Burrus hit his second home run in as many night and finished 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs as the Surf survived a near late game collapse and held off the Ottawa Rapidz 10-6 in front of 1785 fans Saturday night at Rapidz Stadium.
After a strikeout in his first at-bat, Burrus got the offense capped off a three-run top of the third for the Surf when his RBI single scored teammate William Plaza to give Atlantic City a 4-1 lead. The Surf tacked on five more runs over the next three innings as Burrus would add RBI singles in the fifth and sixth. Atlantic City would also get a two-run double from third baseman Gil Zayas in the fifth inning and later built a 9-1 lead.
Eight of the first nine Surf runs came off of Ottawa starter Tanner Watson (1-2). The righty lasted just four innings and allowed eight runs (all earned) on 13 hits to go along with a walk and two strikeouts to take the loss.
Rory Shortell (2-1) put together a solid outing to pick up the win for the Surf. The righthander allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings of work. Shortell did not walk any and struck out six Ottawa batters.
Shortell would leave after seven innings and turn it over to Surf reliever Jimmy Wladyka. Ottawa opened the floodgates on Wladyka with a five run bottom of the eighth inning. Atlantic City's Derek Barrows stepped in and gave up one hit before recording three straight outs to keep the score at 9-6.
Burrus led off the top of the ninth and took the first pitch he saw from Ottawa's Angelo Burrows over the left field wall for a solo home run. The former first round draft pick finished the night 4-for-5 with RBIs. Billy Kovatch went 2-for-5 with an RBI single and Gil Zayas added two hits and two RBIs to add to the Surf threat.
Walker Whitley walked two batters for Atlantic City to start the bottom of the ninth then settled down to get Jabe Bergeron to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. A bullet line drive to third baseman Gil Zayas ended the game.
Kyle Geiger led the Ottawa offense with a 2-for-4 night with a solo home run and an RBI single. Geiger's homer off Shortell in the second was the only run the Surf starter would allow.
Atlantic City has now won three straight game and five of its last six. The Surf finished the first half of the Can Am League 25-22 and in a three-way tie for third place with New Jersey and Sussex. Manager Cecil Fielder and company get Sunday off before opening up the second half of the season at home on Monday in a 3-game series against the New Jersey Jackals. First pitch Monday night from Bernie Robbins Stadium is 7:05.
Canadian American League Stories from July 12, 2008
- Can-Am League Recap - Can-Am
- Surf win 10-6 over Rapidz - Ottawa Voyageurs
- Pride Rally to Edge Tornadoes; 7-6 - American Defenders of New Hampshire
- Tornadoes falter in first-half finale, 7-6 - Worcester Tornadoes
- Jackals' offense pulls away in 8-3 victory - Brockton Rox
- Burrus' hot bat, 4 RBIs catapult Surf to 10-6 victory - Atlantic City Surf
- Jackals Earn Split With 8-3 Win Over Brockton - New Jersey Jackals
- Weston, Panezich Lead Sussex To 8-7 Comeback Win - Sussex Skyhawks
- Rox Pound Jackals 10-1 - Brockton Rox
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