
Dogs Win a Laugher
July 21, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release
ABILENE, TX - Saturday night's game at Walt Drigger's Field was out of control and then came the bottom of the eighth inning. After each Prairie Dog starter scored once in the bottom of the eighth, the Dogs handed the Thunder a 13-run defeat, 21-8
Tommy Hoenshell made his second start of the season and allowed Miguel Alfonzo's third homer of the series in the top of the first inning, a two-run shot to put McAllen in front 2-0. However, Hoenshell did not return for the top of the second, exiting with an apparent right shoulder injury.
The Dogs matched McAllen's two-run first inning and then some. Jason Martin was hit by a pitch and Adam De La Garza walked to set up Wilson Batista's R.B.I. single. Kyle Nichols then came to the plate and blasted his seventh homer of the season, a three-run shot to left giving the Dogs a 4-2 lead.
Thunder starter Demetrius Banks finally got Joe Weik on a fly out to left field for the first out of the inning before Geraldo Valentin cranked his first round-tripper of the season to make it 5-2. After Banks walked Danny Gonzalez, manager Al Gallagher made a pitching change. Jeff Sakowski entered and allowed Bryan Fogle to single and gave up a sacrifice fly to Davis Page.
Banks pitched 1/3 of an inning, gave up three hits, two home runs, six runs, and walked two batters.
After the injury to Hoenshell, the Dogs called on Jeremy Tietze to start the top of the second inning. The tall right-hander from San Antonio walked Nathan Tomaszewski and gave up an R.B.I. single to Craig Hertler in the second.
Leading 6-3, the Dogs went quickly in the bottom of the second. But after Tietze came back out for the third, he walked three batters, and McAllen scored three unearned runs to tie the game at six.
Abilene responded with the go-ahead run on Jason Martin's third inning R.B.I. groundout to take a 7-6 lead.
Braden Tullis began the top of the fourth for the Dogs and turned in a solid performance out of the bullpen, allowing two runs (one earned) and three hits over four innings pitched.
Abilene continued to pile on, scoring twice in the fourth and twice more in the sixth on Valentine's second long ball of the game, a two-run shot that created an 11-6 Prairie Dogs' lead.
After another run in the seventh, the Dogs came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with a 12-8 lead.
Joe Weik started the inning with a single, and everything caved in on the Thunder from there. Abilene scored nine runs in the eighth inning, collected four hits, four walks, two hit batters. All nine members of the starting lineup scored, and the Thunder used three pitchers in the inning including Roberto Rodriguez who came in from shortstop to get the last out.
The Dogs and Thunder conclude a six-game series on Sunday night at 6:05 at Walt Driggers' Field. You can hear the game on 106.9 KLGD or on the internet at abileneprairiedogs.com beginning with the First Financial Pregame Show at 5:55.
Sunday night is scout night at Walt Driggers' Field. All scouts and their directors will receive a $3 General Admission Ticket if they come to the park dressed in a scout uniform.
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North American League Stories from July 21, 2012
- Dogs Win a Laugher - Abilene Prairie Dogs
- Maikel Jova Extends Hit Streak to 34 Games, Darrick Hale Homers Twice - San Rafael Pacifics
- Colts Take Advantafge of Sloppy Fort Worth Fielding - Fort Worth Cats
- Colts Hang on to Beat Fort Worth - San Angelo Colts
- Five-Run Third Drops Roadrunners - Edinburg Roadrunners
- WhiteWings Beat Edinburg, 7-3. - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
- Maikel Jova Extends Hit Streak to 33 Games with Game-Winning RBI Single - San Rafael Pacifics
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