Five-Run Eighth Lifts Outlaws Over Calgary
June 22, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
CHICO- A five-run eighth inning buries the Vipers, as Chico defeats Calgary 9-3 and snaps a four game losing skid.
The Chico Outlaws faced off against the Calgary Vipers Tuesday night for the sixth game in just four days. Chico sent LHP Jonny Bravo (2-1) to the mound to try to suppress the Vipers vaunted hitting attack; the Vipers come into the game hitting .319 as a team. However, Bravo did just that, he pitched six and two-thirds innings while giving up three runs on six hits. He also managed to strike out six Vipers, including Calgary's best hitter, Drew Miller, three times.
After 1-2-3 innings by both pitchers to start the game, the Calgary Vipers would strike first in the top of the second inning. Catcher Justin Tellam poked the second pitch he saw just over the right field wall to put the Vipers up, 1-0, over the Outlaws.
After resorting to the long ball to build their lead, Calgary's small ball approach would prove successful in the second inning. A lead-off walk put Bryan Burke on first, followed by a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Stephen Whalen to move Burke into scoring position. The next batter, Jonny Kaplan, would send Burke home on a bloop single.
The Outlaws would respond in the 4th inning. With two already gone in the inning, Al Quintana took a fastball deep over the wall in left-center to draw the Outlaws within one.
In the next inning, Brian McFall led off the inning with a liner passed the diving third baseman, Louie Templeton, to put himself safely at second. On the game's next pitch, Outlaws left fielder Kurt Steinhauer hit his first home run of the year; a two-run blast over the left fielder's head, giving the Outlaws their first lead of the game.
The lead-off success continued for the Outlaws in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jake Rife hit a double in the left-center gap to start the inning for Chico. After a Lubanski ground out that moved Rife to third, Quintana hit a deep sacrifice to centerfield to give the Outlaws a two-run lead, 4-2.
The Vipers would cut the lead down to one in the top of the seventh inning. On the first pitch of the inning, catcher Justin Tellam smashed the ball over the deepest part of the ballpark in centerfield to bring the Outlaws' lead down to one, 4-3.
Chico would turn the game into a laugher in the bottom of the eighth inning. After two runs had already scored, the biggest hit of the inning came off the bat of Jay Pecci. Pinch hitting for the pitcher and with the bases full of Outlaws, Pecci lined a fastball down the right field alley for a base-clearing triple to put the game out of reach.
The teams will close out their seven game series tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. at Nettleton Stadium. The Outlaws will send Travis Kane (1-2) to the mound. As always, tune in to Justin.tv to watch the game live!
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