Freed pitches Tucson to 7-2 win in Vegas

Published on August 14, 2005 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Tucson Sidewinders News Release


Oscar Villarreal and Mark Freed combined to allow just one infield single through the first 7.2 innings Sunday afternoon lifting Tucson to a 7-2 victory over the Las Vegas 51's at Cashman Field. The win snapped the Sidewinders three-game losing streak and improved the club to 4-7 on the road trip.

Villarreal threw two perfect innings on his rehab assignment. Freed entered the game in the third inning and retired the first seven men he faced before Mike Edwards rolled a swinging bunt past the mound in the fifth inning for the first Vegas hit. The 51's didn't get another hit until two were retired in the eighth inning and Tucson had built a 7-0 lead.

The Sidewinders jumped on former Arizona Wildcat pitcher Scott Erickson for a pair of runs in the first inning. Keoni DeRenne and Sergio Santos started the frame with singles. DeRenne scored the first Tucson run when Brian Barden walked with the bases loaded. Santos scored on a sacrifice fly from Jesus Cota.

Tucson increased the lead to 3-0 in the third. Andy Green reached on an infield single, his minor league leading 160th hit of the year and later scored when Barden's fly ball to right field was dropped by Henri Stanley when he collided with right fielder Chin Feng Chen and the ball rolled away.

The Sidewinders tacked on four insurance runs in the top of the eighth to chase Erickson. Josh Kroeger's single scored Santos with Tucson's fourth run. Barden added a sacrifice fly scoring Green, increasing the lead to 5-0.

Alfredo Gonzalez came out of the bullpen replacing Erickson with two outs and promptly allowed a two-run homer to Juan Brito. Brito's sixth homer of the year provided Tucson with the 7-0 lead.

Cody Ross broke up the shutout attempt with a two-run, two-out double off Freed in the eighth inning. Freed finished with seven innings of work, allowing just three hits and two runs while improving to 8-5.

Sergio Santos led the offense with three hits, giving him seven in the last two games. Santos has collected 26 hits in 59 at bats this season against the 51's.

Tucson and Las Vegas will finish the series Monday night in a 7:05 p.m. game at Cashman Field. Kerry Ligtenberg (3-2 3.58) will make his first professional start for the Sidewinders. Eric Stults (2-4 6.52) will start for the 51's. The game will also conclude Tucson's 12-game road trip. The game will air live on Cool 1450 AM.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 14, 2005


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