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Fielders Sweep Father's Day Doubleheader in Maui

June 20, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Lake County Fielders News Release


Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii (June 19, 2011) - Playing their second doubleheader in three days, and coming off of a five hour, 15-inning game on Saturday night, the Lake County Fielders (17-7) managed to sweep the Maui Na Koa Ikaika (9-12) on Fathers' Day. The Fielders won the first game, 4-2, and shut out Maui in the second game, 2-0, to win their third game in a row and fourth consecutive in Maui.

In game one of the doubleheader, which started less than 14 hours after the lengthy, 15-inning game on Saturday, the Fielders showed no signs of weariness. Brandon Newton led off the game with a walk and two batters later Argelis Nunez singled. With runners at first and second and one out, C.J. Ziegler got the green light on a 3-0 pitch and smoked it over the wall in left-center field for a three-run home run. It was the eighth homer of the year for the Fielders' first baseman, and his fifth at Iron Maehara Stadium this season. Lake County would add one more run, when pitcher Dan Blewett earned a bases-loaded walk with two outs, scoring Quentin Luquette, who reached base on a walk following Ziegler's homer.

Blewett protected his four-run lead on the mound with little trouble. Maui did score a run on three consecutive singles with one out in the bottom of the 3rd inning, cutting the Fielders lead to 4-1.

However, controversy sparked in the bottom of the 4th inning. With runners at second and third and nobody out, Maui third baseman Nicholas Fitzgerald stepped to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to center field. The runner at third base, second baseman Jose Sanchez, tagged up and scored on the play to make it a 4-2 Fielders lead. The runner on second base, catcher Steven Garcia, also tagged up on the fly ball. Luquette threw the ball into third base, with the cutoff throw making it to third baseman Patrick Brooks in time to tag out Garcia. However, none of the three umpires on the field, Doug Cramp, Stephen Cramer or Fred Davidson, kept their eyes on the ball as it made its way into third base. None of the umpires saw Brooks apply a tag onto Garcia as he slid into third base. Because of that, the umpires could not rule Garcia out, so they awarded him third base. Fielders manager Tim Johnson went out to argue the non-call and was subsequently ejected from the game for the first time this season. Fortunately for Blewett and the Fielders, their pitcher was able to get out of the inning without allowing another run.

Blewett (2-1) lasted six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out five and walking three, before giving way to Fielders pitching coach/closer Chris Thompson. Thompson, who picked up the win in Saturday's 15-inning game, had pitched four innings out of the pen just a day ago. Thompson pitched the bottom of the 7th inning, allowing just one walk and striking out two, to pick up his ninth save of the season.

In the second game of the doubleheader, it was Ziegler who once again provided the run scoring for the Fielders. Ziegler drove home shortstop Rex Rundgren and centerfielder Lino Garcia, who returned to the lineup after missing the last seven games, on a two-run single to left field. It would be the only runs scored in the second game of the doubleheader.

Fielders pitcher Greg Lane, who made his first start of the season after having made 10 relief appearances, was dominant. Lane (5-0) didn't allow a run in his 5.1 innings of work, giving up four hits, striking out two and walking three. Lane threw the first Fielders shutout of the season.

Lane gave way to reliever Ben Paxton, when Lane found trouble in the bottom of the 6th inning. Paxton entered with runners at second and third and one out, but managed to get the next two batters out to get out of the inning. Paxton worked the bottom of the 7th, giving up just one hit, as he picked up a five-out save, Paxton's first of the season.

The Fielders' doubleheader sweep gave the team the series victory over Maui, with two games still left to play. The sweep also gave Lake County their fifth win in the last six games, dating back to Wednesday afternoon's win in Calgary.

Game four of the five-game series takes place on Monday night from Iron Maehara Stadium in Maui. The first pitch for the last two games in the series is scheduled for 6:35pm local time (11:35pm central). You can listen to the game on 1220 AM WKRS or online at fieldersbaseball.com or wkrs.com.

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