Edinburg Strikes Early and Often to Down Aces
June 27, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Alexandria Aces News Release
EDINBURG- Joe Garagiola once famously wrote "Baseball is a Funny Game."
But what was humor to the Edinburg Roadrunners could be called great tragedy for the Alexandria Aces Wednesday night at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
Alexandria scored seven runs in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of Edinburg starter Ryan Bean's four walks allowed as well as four Alexandria hits.
But what originally appeared to be an Aces laugher immediately went sour. The first nine Edinburg batters reached base and scored off Alexandria starter Ryan Zimmerman. Four batters later Dan Coury hit a 2-run home run to left field to complete the scoring of an 11-run Roadrunners first inning, paving the way to a 20-11 Edinburg (15-18) victory.
"It was crazy, like spring training," said Edinburg catcher Ryan Gasporra, who was traded from the Aces (16-17) to Edinburg for future considerations before the game. "It almost didn't feel like a real game."
Edinburg's Kori Melo, acquired before the game in a trade with Fort Worth for catcher Chris Christopolous, struck out to begin the bottom of the first inning but reached base on catcher Brandon Stewart's pass ball.
From there the floodgates opened. Centerfielder Chad Bunting misplayed Bobby Rinard's single with a man on, allowing the ball to get behind him and Rinard to circle the bases to make the score 7-3. Shortstop Michael Haynes committed an error four batters later with the bases loaded to give Edinburg another run. And with runners at second and third and the score tied at 7-7, the Roadrunners took the lead when Stewart tried to field a ground ball in front of home plate rather than let Zimmerman field it, thus leaving home plate uncovered and Wes Patterson to score easily from third.
"It wasn't so much they came back but the way. We couldn't make a play all of a sudden," said Aces manager Von Hayes.
Zimmerman (2-2) lasted the entire 11-run inning in an effort by Hayes to save his bullpen the day after a doubleheader. He would go on to pitch 3 1/3 innings, allowing 11 hits, 12 runs, seven earned, four walks and striking out three batters.
The Aces did attempt to come back and even reduced their deficit to 12-11, highlighted by three unearned runs off long reliever Kasuma Isabachi off a 2-run, two out double from Austin Newell and an RBI single by Derrick Pyles.
But Clay Vanderlaan would allow four runs to the Roadrunners in the fifth inning. With two runners in scoring position and one out Ryde Rodriguez grounded to first base, and Nick Mahin threw home to try to retire Coury at the plate. Spencer, however, could not handle the peg, and Coury was safe at home on a fielder's choice.
A walk, Carlton Salters' fourth hit of a five hit day, and Melo's infield single coupled with three wild pitches let the Roadrunners take a 16-11 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cullen Babin, a righthander from Houma, was brought in to make his professional debut, but he allowed 2-run homers to Coury and Patterson to give Edinburg a 20-11 lead.
Austin Fraker threw 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief to earn his first pitching victory of the season (1-0).
United League Baseball Stories from June 27, 2013
- Cats Rally for 10-6 Win - Fort Worth Cats
- Late Rally Lifts Aces - Alexandria Aces
- Cats Slug Past Wings - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
- Colts Homer Four Times in 16-2 win - San Angelo Colts
- Roadrunners' Falls Short Against Aces - Edinburg Roadrunners
- Aces Sign Trevor McDonald - Alexandria Aces
- Cats Trade Melo and Maitland - Fort Worth Cats
- Edinburg Strikes Early and Often to Down Aces - Alexandria Aces
- Roadrunners Outslug Aces in Series Opener - Edinburg Roadrunners
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