Figueroa, Bullpen Give AirHogs Series Win

Published on July 10, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


AMARILLO, Texas -- Danny Figueroa tied an American Association record with a six-hit game, going 6-for-6 with four runs scored and an RBI, while the Grand Prairie AirHogs' bullpen bailed out starter Lance Janke by throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings, as the AirHogs scored the final eight runs to come back and beat the Amarillo Sox 12-8 on Sunday, winning the final three games of the four game series at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium.

The AirHogs (37-17) got on the board first on Greg Porter's sacrifice fly in the first, but the Sox answered with four in the bottom of the inning off Lance Janke, started by a 12-pitch at-bat ending in a walk to number-two hitter Matthew Tucker. Grand Prairie came back to tie it in the third against Travis Lawler, getting a two-run triple from David Espinosa and an RBI groundout from Cesar Nicolas.

But the Sox (27-27) came roaring back in the bottom of the third, scoring three more to knock out Janke before adding one more on a Lee Cruz double off reliever Jason Moody.

One out away from qualifying for the win though, Lawler ran out of gas, giving up three straight two-out RBI hits in the fifth to Nicolas, John Alonso and Guillermo Martinez to tie the game at 8-8.

Moody and Bo Schultz (2-2) kept the Sox at eight through six while LaCurtis Mayes (0-1) did the same to the AirHogs. But in the seventh, Mayes walked David Espinosa to start the inning, before making a wild throw on a pickoff attempt to send him to second. After Porter and Nicolas made outs, Alonso ripped a single to left to score Espinosa and give the AirHogs the lead.

Schultz followed that up with a 1-2-3 seventh, and Chris McMurray's RBI single in the eighth made it 10-8. Jon Fulton came on in the bottom of the eighth and got out of a two-runner jam when Lee Cruz grounded to short on the first pitch.

In the ninth, the AirHogs tacked on another run when Fehlandt Lentini mis-played John Alonso's single to center, allowing pinch-runner Tyler Henley to score from first. Figueroa followed with his sixth hit, lining one off of the glove of pitcher Pat Overholt to bring in the final run.

Jon Hunton then threw a perfect ninth to finish off the series, striking out Adam De La Garza to close it out.

Notes: Amarillo's Tim Alberts had six hits on June 26 of this year, in a 10-inning win against Shreveport-Bossier...The AirHogs bullpen allowed three hits and two walks in the game...Figueroa finished the series 15-for-21, with at least two hits in all four contests...After losing 5-3 on Thursday, Grand Prairie scored 43 runs in the final three games of the series...The Sox hit 51 foul balls on 176 AirHogs pitches, including 24 on Janke's 96.

The AirHogs now return to QuikTrip Park on Monday, July 11, against the Fort Worth Cats at 7:05 p.m. That night is Military Monday, with all active military, fire and police personnel able to purchase tickets for just $5 with ID. Don't miss the renewed commitment to excellence and affordable family entertainment. All games are available with live, free streaming video on ustream.tv. Individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling 972-504-9383 or by visiting www.airhogsbaseball.com

The AirHogs now return to QuikTrip Park on Monday, July 11, against the Fort Worth Cats at 7:05 p.m. That night is Military Monday, with all active military, fire and police personnel able to purchase tickets for just $5 with ID. Don't miss the renewed commitment to excellence and affordable family entertainment. All games are available with live, free streaming video on ustream.tv. Individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling 972-504-9383 or by visiting www.airhogsbaseball.com.

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American Association Stories from July 10, 2011


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