Doubledays Outslug Tigers
Published on August 14, 2003 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Auburn Doubledays News Release
AUBURN, NY â On Wednesday night, the weather wasn't the only thing heating up at Falcon Park as the Auburn Doubledays scorched the Oneonta Tigers 8-2 on a near 90-degree evening.
Doubledays bats warmed up for those eight runs on eleven hits against Tiger pitching. Auburn's hitting wasn't the only good news on Wednesday night. In Augusta, New Jersey, the New Jersey Cardinals defeated Mahoning Valley 5-3 dropping the Scrappers 18 games behind the Doubledays. Auburn's win and Mahoning Valley's loss combine to improve Auburn's "Magic Number" to clinch the Pinckney Division to three.
Brian Patrick led Auburn's eleven hit barrage going 2-for-4 with three RBI; two of which came on a bases clearing double in the second inning to tie the game at two. In the second inning attack, the Doubledays scored four runs on five hits. Tigers starter Brian Rogers (1-2) allowed six runs on seven hits in only 3 2/3 innings. Ryan Roberts (2-for-4), Erik Kratz (2-for-3) and Carlo Cota (2-for-2) also contributed two hits apiece. Erik Kratz put the nail in Oneonta's coffin in the bottom of the eighth with a towering solo homerun over the left field wall.
Auburn reliever Mark Sopko (2-0) earned his second victory of the season pitching three innings of scoreless relief yielding only two Tiger hits. Doubledays starter Justin James received a no-decision giving up two runs on six hits with three strikeouts after four innings.
Oneonta surged out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Tigers center fielder Vince Blue drove a double into right field scoring Nick McIntyre from third as Oneonta took a 1-0 lead for the second time in two nights. The very next hitter Eric Rodland singled off James, allowing Blue to score from second giving Oneonta a two-run lead.
Auburn's four-run rally started after singles from AJ Porfirio and Christian Snavely. Patrick drove both runners home with a double up the right field line. An Erik Kratz RBI single scored Patrick putting Auburn on top for good at 3-2. Ryan Roberts added one more run to make it 4-2 with an RBI single of his own scoring Kratz from second.
The very next inning Patrick struck again with a double off the right field wall scoring Carlo Cota from first to extend the lead to 5-2.
Tigers starter Brian Rogers would be pulled in the fourth inning but Auburn jumped right on Oneonta reliever Brian Santo. After Santo hit AJ Porfirio with his first pitch, Christian Snavely singled home Ryan Roberts, who was already on base, for Auburn's sixth run. A double steal then allowed Porfirio to slide under the tag from Tiger catcher Andrew Graham to extend the lead to five.
Auburn and Oneonta return to action tomorrow night for the final game of a three-game series at Falcon Park on "Doubleday Dollar Thursday" at 7:05 PM. All General Admission tickets, Budweiser drafts, Hoffman hot dogs and Coca-Cola products are $1 each. For ticket information, please contact the Falcon Park box office at (315) 255-2489.
New York-Penn League Stories from August 14, 2003
- Cardinals almost sweep Scrappers - New Jersey Cardinals
- Vermont-Staten Island postponed - Vermont Lake Monsters
- Muckdogs Lose in 13 - Batavia Muckdogs
- Doubledays Outslug Tigers - Auburn Doubledays
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