Dogs Hold on in Edinburg

June 29, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


EDINBURG, TX - As Joe Weik walked to the plate to start the top of the second inning, his team was struggling. The Dogs had dropped the first two games the series in Edinburg, had been retired in order in the first and were already trailing by a run in the top of the second. But as Weik unloaded on a 2-1 pitch and hammered his league-leading eighth home run of the season, things changed. The Prairie Dogs erupted for 11 runs and 17 hits on Thursday night and held on for an 11-8 victory.

Sparked by Weik's second inning round tripper, the Dogs used a Case Rigby sacrifice fly and Bryan Fogle's first homer of the season to total a four-run second inning and build a lead that they would not relinquish.

Billy Petrick battled through six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits en route to his third victory of the season - he's gathered all three wins since making his first start on June 8. Petrick allowed only one run in the first inning after loading the bases with no outs. In the third, Derek Perren doubled to drive in the Roadrunner's second run and cut the lead to 6-2. The big righty was marked for two more runs when Carlos Hereaud laced a two-run single through the middle in the fifth.

After their four-run second inning, the Dogs bats stayed alive. They added two more in the third when Chris Caves knocked in a run with a double and Fogle gathered his third R.B.I. with a sacrifice fly - Fogle was 2-for-3 with his first home run and a season-high four R.B.I.

The two runs in the top of the third marked the end of the night for Edinburg starter Ryan Smith who was pounded to the tune of eight hits and six runs (four earned) over three innings.

Tetsuya Iwasaki was the first man out of the bullpen for the Roadrunners, and he had his problems with the Dogs lineup as well. Abilene put runners on second and third with one out for Weik in the fourth and he roped a double inside third base to score two and supply Abilene with an 8-2 lead - Weik collected his fourth consecutive multiple-hit game as he went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, three runs scored, and three driven in.

After a two-run fifth, the Prairie Dogs used Fogle's second sacrifice fly to make it an 11-4 game in the sixth.

Jeremy Tietze relieved Petrick in the seventh. After allowing a run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth, Tietze departed with the Prairie Dogs leading 11-5.

Gunner Glad appeared in the bottom of the ninth inning and allowed the first three men to reach. After an R.B.I. double from Hereaud, a run-scoring groundout from Felix Moline, and Pascual Del Real's R.B.I. single, Glad departed in favor of Ray Silva. Silva faced just one batter and got Tim Battle to pop out to first base to end the game with the tying run at the plate. It was Silva's third save in three chances.

The Dogs and Roadrunners will conclude the four-game series on Saturday night. The first pitch is set for 7:05, and you can hear the game on 106.9 KLGD or on abileneprairiedogs.com beginning with the pregame show at 6:55.



North American League Stories from June 29, 2012


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