Flyers Overcome Nine-Run Deficit, Rally for Extra Innings Win on Opening Night

Published on May 22, 2010 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Orange County Flyers News Release


ST. GEORGE, Utah. (May 21, 2010) - The Flyers overcame a nine-run deficit to defeat the St. George RoadRunners in 11 innings to open the 2010 season at Bruce Hurst Field on Friday. Orange County was led by former Major Leaguer Ben Johnson, who tied a franchise record with seven RBI on a pair of three-run homeruns and an RBI-double.

Orange County took its first lead of the game when speedster Zach Mandelblatt scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 11th inning.

Reliever Bryan Harris (1-0) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief, and Andre Simpson earned the save (1) with a scoreless bottom of the 11th. The loss went to St. George's Monte Mansfield (0-1)

After getting down 13-4 after four innings, Orange County added three runs in the sixth and seventh, and four more in the eighth to tie the game, 14-14.

The RoadRunners struck early, as the first five batters all came around to score in the bottom of the first inning. Yosvanny Almario and Brett Flowers each drove in a pair of runs and came around to score in the frame.

St. George opened up a 6-0 lead after three innings before the Flyers responded in the top of the fourth, as Ben Johnson's first three-run homerun pulled Orange County within two, 6-4. The RoadRunners however, answered with a seven-run bottom of the fourth for a 13-4 lead.

Flyers catcher Jim Goethals homered in the sixth to pull Orange County within six, and Ben Johnson's second three-run shot in the seventh brought the Flyers within three, 13-10. When the RoadRunners expanded their lead on D.J. Dixon's sac-fly in the seventh, the Flyers plated four in the eighth with the tying runs coming on Julian Benavidez's two-run homerun.

The Flyers and RoadRunners continue this four-game series Saturday as the Flyers' Jesse Smith takes the mound against former Flyers ace Reed Dickert. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm Pacific at Bruce Hurst Field. The game can be heard live online through www.OrangeCountyFlyers.com.

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