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Fitting End at Foster Field

August 20, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


SAN ANGELO, TX -- Foster Field has been a cruel home away from home for Abilene in 2012, and it remained so on Monday night as the Colts rolled to a well rounded 4-2 victory in San Angelo.

The Colts coupled stellar pitching - six innings from starter Michael Hart (6-3) and three shutout frames from their bullpen - with a balanced offense attack to move back above .500 (42-41).

Catcher Salvador Paniagua broke out with a 4-for-4 performance including his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot off Kevin Gelinas in the eighth to provide the final margin.

Matt Larkins started for Abilene and breezed through a perfect first inning before yielding a leadoff double to Cory Patton in the second. After Paniagua singled, Jamar Walton put the Colts on the board with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Abilene answered against the righty Hart in the top of the third. Zach Welch and Jason Martin used consecutive singles to lead off the top of the inning and set up the league's leader in R.B.I.s -- Joe Weik. The power hitter blasted the first pitch he saw into the left-center field gap, scoring both runners and nudging the Dogs ahead, 2-1. Weik went 2-for-4 with two doubles and that pair of R.B.I.s .

Daryl Jones knotted the game at two in the fourth when he yanked his eighth round-tripper of the season over the short wall down the left field line.

Larkins, who tied a season-high with five strikeouts, allowed a one-out single to Danny Hernandez in the fifth. After forcing J.J. Sherrill to groundout to second, the rookie from California got ahead in the count against Jason Diaz but allowed the feisty lefty to smack a go-ahead, R.B.I. single just inside the bag at third to push the Colts toward a 3-2 lead.

The Dogs never threatened in the late innings as Alfredo Caballero, Michael Hacker, and Erik Draxton teamed up to throw three hitless innings of relief. With a perfect ninth, Draxton collected his league-high 21st save and is now one away from the club's single season saves record which was set in 2002.

It was the last meeting between the squads at Foster Field, and the Prairie Dogs finish the year 7-17 in San Angelo. Tomorrow night will mark the 33rd and final meeting between the Dogs and Colts. The game starts at 7:05 at Walt Driggers Field and can be heard live on 106.9 KLGD or on the internet at abileneprairiedogs.com beginning with the First Financial Pregame Show at 6:55.



North American League Stories from August 20, 2012


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