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Fielders Come from Behind for Walk-Off Victory, 11-10

July 29, 2010 - Northern League (NL)
Lake County Fielders News Release


ZION, IL-The Lake County Fielders (26-34) fought back from a 9-1 deficit to defeat the first-place Kansas City T-Bones (39-23) 11-10, winning the series three games to one in Zion.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Juan Valdes hit a sacrifice fly to left field to push across Kevin Haas with the winning run off of Erik Hamren (0-1).

Adam Hale walked to lead off the inning and Kyle Higgins grounded a single into left. Haas then came in to pinch run for Hale. Zach Larson attempted a sacrifice bunt, which was muffed by third baseman Brian Joynt and all the runners were safe with the bases loaded. After Guillermo Martinez struck out, Valdes came up with his winning heroics.

The T-Bones had jumped on Matt Schweitzer early in the first inning, scoring two runs on back-to-back RBI singles from Jim Fasano and Joynt to knock in Dwayne White and Ray Sadler.

Kansas City opened it up in the top of the second. Keith Hernandez led off with a double to left, Jimmy Mojica was hit by a pitch and Keanon Simon attempted a sacrifice bunt, which was fielded by Schweitzer who threw it over the head of first baseman Jeff Dunbar, allowing Hernandez to score.

After a Jacob Blackwood walk, which also scored Mojica on a wild ball four, and stolen base, Dwayne White singled to score Simon and Blackwood. Schweitzer was able to get the next two outs before being removed by manager Fran Riordan in favor of Alec Lewis. Schweitzer threw 1.2 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits.

The Fielders got one back in the bottom of the third inning. Amos Ramon doubled with two outs, then Joshua Short lined a single to left, scoring Ramon.

The T-Bones added on with home runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Keanon Simon hit a solo home run in the sixth and Jim Fasano hit a long two run home run to right field in the seventh, making the score 9-1.

But, the Fielders' offense finally woke up in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs on Ramon's two-out double to the right field gap, followed immediately by a double off the left field wall by Short, scoring Ramon.

Brian McFall then popped up to first, but Ryan Fox dropped the ball. The Fielders were hustling on the play and McFall reached first, while Short scored all the way from second base.

That was the end of the line for Cruse who was replaced by the newest T-Bones acquisition, Hunter Mense. Jeff Dunbar greeted him by ringing a double down the left field line, scoring McFall, before Hale struck out to end the inning.

The Fielders batted around and scored five runs in that bottom of the seventh, all with two outs, putting the pressure on Kansas City.

Marco Gonzalez came in to pitch the eighth and immediately allowed a lead-off home run to Jacob Blackwood. Alec Lewis had pitched well in relief of Schweitzer, going 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, striking out five and walking two.

The Fielders completed the come back in the bottom of the eighth with four runs to tie the game at 10 apiece. Higgins hit a lead-off double and Zach Larsson walked to get the inning started.

After Martinez struck out, Valdes doubled off the top of the right-field wall, scoring Higgins and Larsson. Ramon followed that up with a seeing-eye single through the hole on the left side.

After Short popped out behind the plate, McFall hit a chopper to third, which was fielded cleanly by Bryan Joynt, put Fox missed the catch at first, for his second costly error of the game. Valdes and Ramon scored to set up the late-inning drama.

The Fielders are next in action with a double header Friday at 6:00 against the Winnipeg Goldeyes in Zion.

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