Dogs Lose 5th Straight

Published on July 27, 2012 under North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


ABILENE, TX -The Prairie Dogs are not playing terrible baseball, but nothing is going their way. It was more of the same at Walt Driggers' Field on Friday night where Adam Rowe's seven stellar innings were not enough as the Dogs dropped their fifth straight game, losing to San Angelo 7-2.

Trailing 1-0 after seven innings, Bobby Brown called for rookie Reece McGraw as the first man in relief of Rowe. But Daryl Jones blasted a solo shot deep over the left field fence on the first pitch of eighth inning to double the Colts' lead. Landon Camp then followed with single and moved to second on a throwing error before Cory Patton made it 3-0 San Angelo with a single to center, scoring Camp. McGraw struck out Jason Crosland, but Jamar Walton blasted a double into the right-center field gap to make it 4-0. After walking Ryan Hutson, McGraw's night was over. He gave way to Derrick Dingeman who entered and got the final two outs of the innings while preventing further damage.

Now behind by four runs, Abilene's offense woke up in the bottom of the eighth. Gerlado Valentin started the inning with single and moved up on a throwing error. Danny Gonzalez then tried to bunt for a base hit, but San Angelo starter Mark Willinsky made a stellar play to throw out Gonzalez at first. With Valentin now on third, Chris Caves collected an R.B.I. groundout to make it 4-1.

With two outs and the bases clear, Zach Welch - making his first start since injuring his shoulder on a collision at the plate on July 19 - lined a single up the middle, and Willinsky walked Jason Martin to put two aboard. After a pitching change, Adam De La Garza smacked a first-pitch single off Chris Weast, scoring Welch and cutting the lead to two. But Wilson Batista stranded the tying runners on base when he grounded out 3-1 to end the inning.

The Colts were back at it in the top of the ninth, using three walks (one intentional) and a pair of R.B.I.s from Crosland and Walton - who went 2-for-5 with two R.B.I.s - to highlight a three-run ninth and widen the lead to five.

Adam Rowe ran into some tough luck as he tossed seven innings for Abilene and allowed only three hits and one run but was branded with his fourth loss of the season - the lefty has now turned in 10 quality starts in 12 appearances but hasn't won in eight weeks.

Rowe retired the first eight batters he faced and held the Colts scoreless through five innings. The nine-year pro finally surrendered a run in the sixth after waling Daryl Jones with one out. Jones stole second and Camp knocked him in to put the first run on the board.

San Angelo starter Mark Willinsky also turned in a solid performance, allowing only two runs over 72/3 innings to snatch his fifth win of the season.

It was the fourth straight loss for the Dogs in this eight-game series and their fifth consecutive defeat overall. San Angelo is now back to .500 (30-30) and seven games clear of Abilene (22-36) for the final playoff spot in the United League.

The series continues tomorrow night in San Angelo at 7:05. Hear the game on 106.9 KLGD or on the internet at abileneprairiedogs.com beginning with the First Financial Pregame Show at 6:55.

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North American League Stories from July 27, 2012


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