Dawgs Squeeze Opening Day
June 6, 2006 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
San Diego Surf Dawgs News Release
SAN DIEGO - The Surf Dawgs came home to celebrate their home opener, but it was their fans cheering as a baseball rarity closed a 5-4, extra inning victory. A suicide squeeze by the 9th place hitter Matthew Connolly drove in Nick Guerra for the winning run in the 10th inning. The defending champions watched their lead evaporate during the game but came through in exhilarating fashion when the game was on the line.
San Diego got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning when Adam Mandel reached on a fielder's choice. He then stole second and moved to third on a Tony Garcia infield single to put runners at the corners with one out. Scott Goodman extended his hitting streak to 10-games with an RBI single to center to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. The Surf Dawgs staked starting pitcher Chris Gale to a 4-0 lead. Chris Gale was brilliant, pitching 6 full innings, only allowing a solo homerun to Billy Malone.
Sidearm right-hander Joe Safken entered the game in the top of the seventh. He would get the first two outs but worked himself into trouble by walking Javier Lopez and hit Henry Calderon to put runners on first and second with two outs. Both runners would score after Aaron Wilson could not hold the inherited runs from coming in.
The Surf Dawgs were lucky that the game made it to extra innings. Wilson found himself in trouble in the 8th when the Scorpions worked out a bases loaded, one-out situation. Billy Malone, who went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, singled in Kovatch, who pinch ran for Quihuis-Bell, to make it 4-4. Hector Tena attempted to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate by Connolly to keep the game deadlocked.
E.J. Shanks (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th before the offensive heroics. Cardozo Tucker (0-1) has control issues that led to his demise.
The 3-2 Surf Dawgs wage war against the Yuma Scorpions (2-3) again tomorrow night at 7:05 at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Marcos Mendoza, off a rough opening day start, returns to where he played college ball looking to establish himself as the ace. They are looking for redemption against Jorge Perez who beat the Surf Dawgs on Opening Day.
Golden Baseball League Stories from June 6, 2006
- 2006 Season Underway - GBL
- Dawgs Squeeze Opening Day - San Diego Surf Dawgs
- Outlaws "walk" away with 21-10 win over Armada - Chico Outlaws
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