D-Braves Drop Two On Weekend
July 7, 2014 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Danville Otterbots News Release
DANVILLE, VA - Danville may have topped its season high losing streak over the weekend, but the D-Braves' silver lining is that they move on to Monday and a new week, still with the Appalachian League East in hand, sitting in first place. Danville entered the second game of the split four game series with Burlington coming off a 2-7 loss the night before. Danville had not previously lost since June 25th to the Greeneville Astros. However, Entering Monday the D-Braves are fighting to get back on track, now on their biggest losing streak of the season.
On Saturday Grosser went 5.0 innings of solid work, continuing to leave hitters guessing with control on the fastball and a good breaking ball. The right hander struck out six Royals without walking any, while giving up six hits and surrendering just two earned runs. Carlos Salazar would replace Grosser with two perfect innings in the sixth and seventh, striking out two of his own. Including the six on Saturday, Grosser leads the Appalachian League in strikeouts with 25.
Danville grabbed the lead in the top of the eighth inning off of a Tanner Krietemeier single that scored Justin Black and Sean Godfrey, giving the D-Braves a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom frame. However it would quickly change tune, as Josh Banuelos singled to lead off for Burlington. Banuelos stole second to put him in scoring position, and after a Cristian Cano strike out, Meibrys Viloria doubled to right, scoring Banuelos and tying the ball game. Xavier Fernandez would double to right scoring Amalani Fukofuka, who pinch ran for Viloria at second. Burlington took the win 5-4 with the late comeback.
Sunday featured the best pitching performance of Andrew Waszak's career. Waszak dominated the Princeton Rays, pitching the team's season high of 7.0 innings, also a career high. Waszak struck out four and walked one Ray, and was charged one earned run on three total runs. Waszak faced the first three batters of the eighth inning, but did not record an out for Danville. All of Princeton's runs came in the eighth inning, which was more than enough to propel them to a 6-4 victory.
Danville third baseman Jordan Edgerton had two more RBI for the D-Braves, giving him an Appy League leading 24 in 16 games. Edgerton is third in the Appy League in batting average at .393, second in the league in on base plus slugging at 1.109, and is tied for second with a long list of names in home runs with three. Edgerton is in the top 10 of every major individual offensive statistic in the Appalachian League.
Mike Dodig crushed his first home run of the season on Sunday, a solo shot that extended Danville's lead. However, it would not be enough with Princeton's big eighth inning. Carter Burgess led off the inning for the Rays, grounding a single to right off Waszak. Manny Sanchez would triple to center, giving Princeton their first run off the right hander. Codey McElroy made a big throwing error that allowed David Garcia to reach and Sanchez to make it 4-2.
Bradley Roney replaced Waszak, and walked two to load the bases. After recording one out, Roney was replaced by Caleb Dirks. Princeton would open it up with the bases loaded and two outs as Angel Moreno singled home two runs to tie the game at four. The inning started with Carter Burgess leading off, and the scoring finished in his second at bat of the inning as he singled to center, driving in Hector Montes and Angel Moreno for the final two Princeton runs and the victory 6-4.
The D-Braves sit 1.0 game ahead of the Pulaski Mariners in the Appalachian League East, and the Danville Braves (11-6) square off Monday night against the Princeton Rays (9-8) in the second game of a three game series at Hunnicutt Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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Appalachian League Stories from July 7, 2014
- Kingsport Rallies Past Mariners - Pulaski Mariners
- D-Braves Drop Two On Weekend - Danville Otterbots
- Pirates defeat Astros, 4-2 - Greeneville Astros
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