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Frichter Homer Caps Another AirHogs Comeback

August 8, 2012 - American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Bryan Frichter lined a two-run home run to right against Sioux City Explorers reliever Jon Plefka in the bottom of the eighth as the Grand Prairie AirHogs completed a comeback from five runs down to beat the Explorers 8-7 at QuikTrip Park on Wednesday.

Frichter's home run was his third of the season, and came after he had fouled off three straight 0-2 pitches from Plefka (0-3). But on the first pitch of the key at-bat, Frichter thought he had been hit by a pitch - only to see the umpires rule that the ball hit the bat for strike one. In the end, he had the last word, as he knocked in Kenny Held, who had doubled to right to start the inning.

Justin Dowdy then got two pop-ups sandwiched around a long flyout in the top of the ninth, as the AirHogs closer got his 14th save of the season.

Sioux City (34-43) had taken the lead in the first, getting a walk by Brandon Newton, an RBI double by Wally Backman, Jr., and a pair of productive flyouts to go up 2-0. Grand Prairie tied it off Richard Salazar in the third, taking advantage of a pair of Explorers errors with hits by Scott Clement and Jonny Kaplan mixed in.

The tie was broken a half inning later, with the Explorers rallying after a double play erased a leadoff walk. Jake Cowan walked Jorge Delgado on four straight pitches, and Yusuke Inoguchi lined a two-run home run to left on the first pitch of his at-bat to put Sioux City back on top. Another walk, an error and a single brought in a third run in the frame, and the Explorers chased Cowan with two one-out hits in the fifth, adding a run on Delgado's single against pro debutant Adrian DeMar.

DeMar allowed another run in the sixth on a triple by Ryan Priddy and a sacrifice fly by Brian Bistagne, but he, Ronnie Morales, Adam Miller (1-1) and Dowdy kept the X's off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

Grand Prairie knocked out Salazar in the sixth with four runs - getting a leadoff walk to Chris McMurray, a two-run home run by Trent Lockwood and doubles by Clement and Frichter, before Jonny Kaplan singled in a run off Plefka.

The tall Explorers reliever then allowed a single to Jairo Perez but Andres Rodriguez popped out to end the inning, before Plefka threw a perfect seventh. But he could not get through the eighth, and Grand Prairie won for the third straight game - the first time they have done so since July 7.

Notes: The AirHogs clinched a series win for the first time since July 7-10 in Laredo, going seven straight series without winning one.Seven AirHogs had at least one hit, and four had at least two, led by Frichter's three.Seven Explorers also had at least one hit, with three different X's picking up two hits.Sioux City had only scored seven runs combined in the first four games against the AirHogs this year.

The 2011 American Association Champion Grand Prairie AirHogs conclude their three-game series against the Sioux City Explorers on Thursday, August 9, at 7:05 p.m. It is Thirsty Thursday, with $2 beer specials throughout the ballpark. All games are aired live and for free on Ustream by clicking on the link on the AirHogs' home page or visiting http://www.ustream.tv/channel/airhogs-baseball with selected contests aired on Time Warner Cable's Texas Channel. For information on tickets, promotions, advertising, and other opportunities with the AirHogs, check out the Web site at www.airhogsbaseball.com, or call the QuikTrip Park office at (972) 504-9383.



American Association Stories from August 8, 2012


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