Dhanani's Pair of Home Runs Powers Pacifics Series Sweep
Published on July 26, 2013 under North American League (NAmL)
San Rafael Pacifics News Release
San Rafael, Calif. - A nine-run second inning topped off by a Kyle Dhanani grand slam lifted the San Rafael Pacifics to a 13-6 victory over the East Bay Lumberjacks on Thursday night and the series sweep. The series sweep was the third of the year for first-place the Pacifics, who are also winners of their past five and eight of the last 10.
Kyle Dhanani (2 for 4, three runs, five RBI, walk), making his first start of the season at shortstop, and catcher Matt Cavanaugh showed patience and were issued walks by Lumberjacks starer, former major leaguer and San Francisco Giant, Wayne Franklin (0-2). Matt Quintero, making his first professional start in left field, took a single to left center to score Dhanani. The floodgates opened from here. Center fielder Zack Pace (1 for 3, three runs, two walks) reached first on a hard hit ground ball to second that was bobbled by second baseman Stephen Flynn, then second baseman Price Kendall (4 for 6, three runs, two RBI) followed with a broken bat base that scored Kavanaugh. Franklin continued to struggle finding the zone. After hitting left fielder Chase Fontaine with the bases loaded, right fielder Maikel Jova (4 for 6, one run, four RBI) continued the rally with an infield single that scored Pace, giving the Pacifics a comfortable 4-0 lead. First baseman Johnny Woodard worked another bases-loaded walk, which scored Kendall. Dhanani stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning, and launched a grand slam over the left field fence, scoring Fontaine, Jova, and Woodard for a dominant 9-0 lead.
The Lumberjacks (1-21) attempted to take advantage of Pacifics starter Bennett Whitmore's after sitting for so long. First baseman Andre White started the third inning off with a hit to right field, then left fielder Dwight Tardy drew a walk. Joe Wittig singled to center field and shortly, then Whitmore issued his third walk of the game to second baseman Stephen Flynn. After a slow roller down the first base line by center fielder Justin James scored Tardy, Mike Taylor tallied a base hit up the middle to score Wittig to cut the lead to 9-2.
The Pacifics (36-12) answered the two-run rebuttal by the Lumberjacks in the fifth when Dhanani displayed his offensive power yet again with a homer to right field. The homer was his seventh, which moves him into the team lead with Woodard.
Pace started the bottom of the sixth off with a well-hit ball to right field, then Fontaine had a base hit to short. The hot-swinging Jova sent a shot to the center field fence to push across another two runs, extending the lead to 12-2.
Despite struggling with his command early, Whitmore (6-2) settled in for six innings of two-run ball. He struck out a pair. He gave way to Pacifics reliever Ross Pomerantz. He allowed a Mike Taylor grand slam in the seventh, which cut the lead in half, 12-6.
Quintero and Pace drew walks off of East Bay reliever Marquis Pettis in the bottom of the seventh. Kendall drove home his team-leading 50th RBI with a single that plated Quintero from second. Everybody moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, and Jova tallied his fourth RBI of the night with an infield single. A loud single by Hale through the left side scored Kendall to make it 15-6.
Former Pacific Steve Detwiler, traded earlier in the day to East Bay, tripled home Flynn in the ninth but Pomerantz induced a fly out to close things out.
The Pacifics welcome the Vallejo Admirals to town on Friday, July 26 for a three-game set. It is the Pacifics' "Salute to Indoor Plumbing," with the first 500 fans receiving a free plunger courtesy of Roto-Rooter. One lucky fan will also go home with a bidet as part of the "bidet game." Other highlights include Baseball Bingo presented by West End Cafe and the Pacifics sporting their red jerseys as part of Equator Coffee Friday Nights.
North American League Stories from July 26, 2013
- Pacific Association Announces Playoff Format - San Rafael Pacifics
- Dhanani's Pair of Home Runs Powers Pacifics Series Sweep - San Rafael Pacifics
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