El Paso Holds Off Pelicans

Published on July 24, 2010 under American Association (AA)
El Paso Diablos News Release


El Paso, TX - The El Paso Diablos won their third straight game as they held off the Pensacola Pelicans to win 7-6 at Cohen Stadium on Friday night. El Paso is now 3-4 on the current home stand, and also climb within nine games of the Pelicans who lead the South Division.

El Paso got the scoring started right away as they took a 4-0 lead after two innings by scoring two in the first and two in the second. In the second inning it was Hector Bernal coming up with a two RBI double to produce the runs. The Pelicans cut the lead in half in the third inning with two runs, but El Paso came back with single runs in the fourth and fifth to increase their lead to four once again. Pensacola would chip away at the lead scoring two in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the lead down to 6-5. In the bottom of the seventh Benji Johnson would give El Paso the one extra run they would need with his tenth home run of the season. The Pelicans would load up the bases in the eighth inning with no one out but David Whigham was brought in to get the final three outs and that he did. He got Lou Palmisano to ground into a double play which scored one run and then got a fly out to end the inning and preserve the lead for the Diablos. Whigham came back on in the ninth and walked one who got to third with two outs but Whigham got Francisco Leandro to ground out to end the game.

El Paso stuck for 16 hits on the night. Mike Provencher went 3-4 with a double and has now had multi-hit games in six out of the last seven games. Bryon Smith also had a nice night going 3-5 with an RBI. Hector Bernal had two hits and extends his hit streak to 11 straight games while Rico Santana and Benji Johnson both had two hit nights as well.

D.J. Mattox (7-5) was very good in working six innings and picking up the win. He allowed four runs but just one earned on nine hits. Whigham picked up his second save of the season as he was brought on to get the final six outs. Pelican's starter Jared Gothreaux (6-6), who pitched ten innings in his last start against the Daiblos lasted six innings on this night. He was beat up early but stuck around to pitch six innings allowing six runs on 13 hits.

El Paso looks to make it four straight wins on Saturday night. Aaron Kalb (1-4, 4.55) will be on the bump against the Pelicans' Dane DeValk (5-5, 4.65). Game time is set for 7:05. There will be a Diablos baseball card give away. It is also UTEP appreciation night as all current UTEP students, staff, and Alumni Association Members get in free. Fans can listen in online at www.diablos.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from July 24, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central