Down Six, Vipers Score Nine in Fourth

Published on May 23, 2009 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Calgary Vipers News Release


The Calgary Vipers trailed 7-1 but rallied with nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to win 12-10 against the Long Beach Armada at Foothills Stadium in Calgary, Alberta before 2377 fans. The Vipers sent 12 batters to the plate in the fourth and collected six hits along with three free passes for the nine tallies. With the win the Vipers move back above the .500 mark at 2-1 and will go for the series victory tomorrow.

Reggie Rivard (1-0) picked up the win in the ballgame as he entered in the third inning and went two and a third innings giving up one run while striking out two. Making his professional debut Andrew Demott went a perfect inning and two-thirds including coming in with the bases loaded and getting out of the inning without any damage against to preserve the two run lead at the time. Frank James threw an inning and a third scoreless out of the bullpen while striking out one and Jon Huizinga (1) recorded the save in getting the final two outs of the game. The losing pitcher was Scott Lonergan (0-1) who lasted three and a third innings and gave up ten runs.

Drew Miller led the way offensively for Calgary going two-for-four with a home run, four runs batted in, and two runs scored. Jorge Mejia came up with the clutch hit of the game to give his team the lead in the fourth and went two-for-four with three runs batted in.

Calgary opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Fehlandt Lentini doubled, Nelson Castro bunted for a base hit and on the play Long Beach third baseman Chad Miller hit Castro with the throw for an error which allowed Lentini to score to make it 1-0.

The Armada responded in a big way in the top of the third frame as they scored seven runs on six hits and three errors to take the 7-1 lead. David Ramirez was hit by a pitch, Steve Young singled, Josh Womack reached on a throwing error by third baseman Carlos Duncan which also allowed Ramirez to score, and Omar Bramasco singled in a run. For the second straight night Miller hit a three run homerun to give his team a four-run lead, Daryl Jones followed with a single, Jonathan Kaplan doubled, and Matt Edgecombe knocked in two with a base hit to finish off the scoring in the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth Castro walked, Mejia singled, Rick Guarno doubled to bring in a run, and Miller also hit a two-bagger to bring in two more tallies. Mark Okano was hit by a pitch, Terry Mermer doubled in another, Ivan Reyes reached on a fielder's choice, Lentini cashed one in with a base knock, Castro walked with the bases loaded for a RBI to tie the game, and Mejia wiped the sacks clean with his three-run double to make the score 10-7.

Long Beach got one back in the next half inning as Jones doubled and scored on a Young base hit to cut the lead to 10-8.

The Snakes added what turned out to be much needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth as Guarno walked and Miller drilled a hanging two-strike breaking ball deep over the right field wall for a 12-8 advantage.

In the top of the ninth the Armada threatened when Jones was hit by a pitch and Kaplan nailed a two run shot but they left the bases loaded to close out the score at 12-10.

On Sunday May 24th at 1:35 PM MDT the four game series wraps up with Calgary newcomer Hideki Nagasaka (0-0) making his debut against left-hander Keith Ramsey (0-0). The 5'6" Nagasaka posted a 18-7 record in the last two seasons for Nashua in the Independent Can-Am league. Ramsey on the other hand has pitched the last three seasons as a starter in the Independent Atlantic League.

The Vipers welcome the Victoria Seals for their first ever three game series in Calgary on Monday May 25th, Tuesday May 26th, and Wednesday May 27th with all games starting at 7:05 PM MDT.

Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 403-277-2255 or by stopping in at the Vipers Ticket Office. All games can be heard live online at www.calgaryvipers.com.

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Golden Baseball League Stories from May 23, 2009


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