Flyers win one, lose one

Published on July 6, 2008 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Orange County Flyers News Release


GAME 1

It took Orange County thirteen innings to figure out Edmonton, but it only took two innings for them to do enough damage to pick up the victory.

Orange County (24-11) used two five run innings to defeat the Edmonton Cracker Cats (20-19) 11-7 in the first game of a double header Saturday night at Goodwin Field.

Matt Durkin pitched five excellent innings but earned a no decision in his first start as a Flyer.

Eric Sheridan picked up the win after pitching the sixth to improve to 1-1.

It took the Flyers eight batters to pick up their first hit, but Josh Arhart made it count. After Corwin Malone walked Jeff LaRue and Fernando Pacheco, Josh Arhart laced a single up the middle to plate LaRue and give the Flyers their first lead of the series.

Edmonton got that run back in the fourth, as Jose Morban singled and was in motion as Carlos Arroyo doubled down the left field line to score Morban. But Durkin closed the door to get out of the inning.

The Cracker Cats used more bad defense from the Flyers to get runs in the fifth. After the Flyers committed four errors in the previous night's game, a botched double play opened the door for Edmonton as Joe Jiannetti cracked a two RBI single before a sac fly and a second Carlos Arroyo double gave the Cracker Cats a four run inning and lead.

But Edmonton committed an error of their own that opened the door for Orange County. Mark Okano squibbed a ball to second base that squirted away for Luyben. Bacani then walked and Acey dropped a single into center to score Okano. Then with two outs, Jeff LaRue roped a double down the left field line that score Bacani and Acey after Acey crashed through the catcher Lundberg on a close play at the plate. But Fernando Pacheco came up with the big hit, a two run triple off of the center field wall to give Orange County the lead.

Edmonton was able to tie the game in the sixth with the bases loaded, a double into left field scored one, but an excellent relay throw from Breen to Mayorga to Arhart stopped the threat.

Travon Jackson led of the Flyers half of the sixth with a single, stole second, and was sacrificed to third by Okano. David Bacani then bounced a ball to the thirdbasemen Jiannetti who through home, but Jackson dislodged the through, giving Orange County the lead back. Acey walked, and then Patrick Breen drilled a single up the middle to score Bacani. That set the stage for Jeff LaRue who belted a three run homer to bust the game open, giving the Flyers a five run lead.

De La Rosa allowed one in the ninth before slamming the door. The two teams took a 35 minute break before meeting in game two of the double header.

GAME 2

After a big offensive outburst in the first game of the double header the Orange County Flyers were held in check in the nightcap.

But that did not stop the Flyers (24-12) from making it exciting late in their 4-2 loss against the Edmonton Cracker Cats (21-19) .

With the Flyers trailing by two heading into the seventh, Edmonton brought in the league leader in saves, Pete Sikaras. Dave Bacani singled to leadoff the inning, Acey hit a high chopper to third and reached on an infield single to bring the winning run to the plate with no outs. Sikaras then sat down the next two batters on strikes to bring up Pacheco. After running the count full to set the runners in motion, but Sikaras prevailed for his eighth save.

Chris Cullen pitched five innings in his start for Edmonton to improve to 1-0 on the season.

Edmonton scored first as Yan walked before Jose Morban launched a homer that just cleared the wall landing right on the fall pole, giving Edmonton the early lead.

The Flyers cut the lead in half in the third as Travon Jackson singled, was bunted over to second, moved to third on a wild pitch, before Okano grounded out to score Jackson. Jermy Acey then tied the game with a soft single into right center that scored Bacani all the way from first.

Edmonton regained the lead in the sixth when Orlando Miller doubled down the left field line. Miller was pinch ran for by Dan Luyben who scored on a Carlos Arroyo single into shallow left. Kevin House then doubled Arroyo in with a ball that just missed clearing the wall in left center and caused some of the Edmonton bench to dispute the call.

The Flyers failed to score in the sixth, and Cramer shut down Edmonton in the seventh to set up the bottom of the inning.

Cramer pitched a complete game but was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year.

Orange County heads up north for a three game set in Chico with the Outlaws beginning Monday evening.

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Golden Baseball League Stories from July 6, 2008


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