NYPL Vermont Lake Monsters

Expos sweep Auburn

Published on August 26, 2004 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Vermont Lake Monsters News Release


BURLINGTON, VT --- The Vermont Expos picked a fine time to sweep their first three-game series since July of 2002. Just do it against the New York-Penn League's best team by scoring the winning run in their last at bat each night and get their record back to .500 for the first time since July.

Doug Vroman snapped a 4-4 tie with an RBI double as the Expos scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 6-4 victory over the Auburn Doubledays on Thursday night at Centennial Field.

The Expos were able to sweep Auburn by keeping the league's best offensive team in check all series long. The Doubledays entered the series hitting a league-high .279 and scoring 6.10 runs per game, but Vermont pitchers limited Auburn to just a .204 average (21-for-103) and nine runs in the three games.

Auburn did take a 2-0 lead on Thursday as they scored an unearned run in the second inning and got a solo home run from Eric Nielsen, his seventh, in the fourth inning. But Vermont came right back in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff double from Ofilio Castro and a single from Marvin Lowrance. Edgardo Baez then launched a three-run homer to straight away centerfield for his seventh home run of the season and a 3-2 Expos lead.

The Doubledays re-tied the game in the fifth with another unearned run before the Expos took a 4-3 lead in the seventh on an RBI double to straight away centerfield by Castro, his second double of the night.

But Auburn fought back again to tie the game in the eighth. With two outs they loaded the bases on single, walk and error. Vincent Esposito then singled to leftfield to score Adam Lind with the tying run, but Lowrance threw out Nielsen at the plate to end the inning.

After winning Tuesday and Wednesday nights with runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Expos scored the eventual winning run in the eighth on Thursday. After a one-out hit batter and single by Salomon Manriquez, Doug Vroman lined an 0-2 pitch into the gap in leftcenter to score Luke Montz. Then with runners on second and third, Vermont got an insurance run as Manriquez scored on a balk by losing pitcher Jayson Rodriguez (4-3).

Gus Hlebovy gave up two singles in the ninth inning, but with two on and one out he got a couple of popouts to end the game for his 14th save of the season. Starter Jim Henderson allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits over seven innings of work. He didn't get a decision as Ben Cox (2-0) allowed the unearned run in the eighth. Brad Ditter went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .340 for the Expos.

The win, Vermont's fifth in the last six games and eighth in last 11, got the Expos back to .500 for the first time since they were 15-15 on July 18th. Vermont's last three-game series sweep came at Mahoning Valley July 10-12, 2002 and the Expos have now won three straight for the third time this season.

The Expos continue the seven-game homestand on Friday night as they go from hosting the Pinckney Division-leading Doubledays to the Stedler Division-leading Tri-City ValleyCats in a doubleheader beginning at 6:05 p.m.

Check out the Vermont Lake Monsters Statistics

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



New York-Penn League Stories from August 26, 2004


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