Five Run Sixth Gives Snakes Series

Published on June 14, 2009 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Calgary Vipers News Release


The Calgary Vipers scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to defeat the Victoria Seals 8-6 at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, British Columbia. After leading by a 3-0 score the Seals tied the game up until the big Calgary inning to put them up for good. With the victory the Vipers improve to 14-7 and have a two games lead over the Chico Outlaws for first place in the Golden Baseball League's North Division.

Mac Suzuki was once again excellent out of the bullpen for the Vipers going two scoreless innings while striking out three and allowing only one hit. Reggie Rivard (3-1) went five innings for the win and gave up only three hits for three runs while striking out four while Jon Huizinga (3) recorded the save in throwing a scoreless ninth inning. Travis Wade (0-4) took the loss on the day going five innings and giving up four runs.

Calgary for the third time in this series opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as Fehlandt Lentini reached second base on a throwing error by third baseman Carlos Duncan, Nelson Castro sacrifice bunted Lentini to third, and Jorge Mejia singled him home. Later in the inning Clint Johnston reached first with a base hit and Colin Moro knocked home Mejia with a base knock for the 2-0 advantage.

Drew Miller led off the second inning with his seventh home run of the season for the 3-0 lead and to tie him atop the GBL in long balls this season.

The Seals tied the game up in the bottom of the fourth as Chris Van Rossum walked, Carlos Duncan singled, Brett Flowers plated one with a sacrifice fly, and Jamar Hill hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run homer for the 3-3 score.

In the top of the sixth inning the Snakes retook the lead as Mark Okano and Moro singled, Miller was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Ivan Reyes was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. Rick Guarno and Lentini followed with run batted in singles, Castro was hit by a pitch for a RBI, and Mejia knocked in a fifth run with a sacrifice fly for a 8-3 lead.

Victoria cut into the lead in the bottom of the frame as Duncan, Sergio Pedroza, and Flowers all walked to load the bases for Hill who plated a run with a ground ball and another run scored when Matt Kavanaugh walked for the 8-5 score.

The Seals got one run closer in the bottom of the seventh inning as Wilver Perez picked up a double when the ball was lost in the sun and Van Rossum singled him home to make the score 8-6.

The Vipers now return home to Calgary and Foothills Stadium to take on the Seals in the back-half of this home-and-home series starting Monday June 15th at 7:05 PM MDT. Erik Dessau (2-0) will toe the rubber against fellow right-hander Roberto Sotolongo (0-1). Dessau makes his fourth start of the season and is coming off his first no-decision while Sotolongo returns to the bump after injuring himself against the Snakes in his first start of the season back on May 25th.

On Tuesday June 16th at 7:05 PM MDT the middle game of this three game series takes place with Hideki Nagasaka (2-0) matching up with Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-1) on the mound. Nagasaka is coming off his best outing of the season going six innings and allowing only one earned run for victory while Bibens-Dirkx is coming off his first loss of the year but a game where he allowed only two runs in six innings and struck out ten.

This three-game-set wraps up on Wednesday June 16th at 2:35 PM as the two teams will play a special matinee game with the Calgary Stampeders home opener to follow in the evening across the parking lot. Joe Sergent (2-1) will make his sixth start of the season in a left-handed rematch of Friday night's duel with Isaac Hess (3-0). The aces of their respected staffs will meet again with Sergent coming in at a 2.56 earned run average and Hess posting a 1.97 E.R.A. after picking up the win against Calgary the last time these two met.

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Golden Baseball League Stories from June 14, 2009


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