Sports stats



Granado's gem pushes Joes to extra-inning win

July 26, 2007 - South Coast League (SCL)
Anderson Joes News Release


MACON, Ga. -- Jan Granado threw a masterful nine-inning gem.

Rafael Diaz broke a 2-for-17 slump with a tenth-inning, go-ahead, two-run single.

And the Joes won in extra innings for just the second time this season, with a thrilling 4-3 win over the Macon Music in 10 innings Wednesday.

Anderson, looking to win back-to-back series for the first time all season, found itself caught up in a pitcher's duel between their ace Granado and Macon's Ralph Roberts. Roberts lasted six innings, allowing two runs, as the Joes held a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Granado dazzled, tossing nine innings while allowing two runs on three hits and five walks, finishing with eight strikeouts

In the bottom of the ninth, though, things took a turn for the wild.

Looking for his second complete game of the season, Granado retired the first two hitters before allowing back-to-back walks. Then, pinch hitter Ashley Hooks -- normally a pitcher for the Music -- hit a bleeding RBI single that never left the right side of the infield but evaded second baseman Brandon Carter enough to score the tying run.

But in the top of the 10th inning, with the bases loaded and two out, Diaz came up as a pinch-hitter. In his first at-bat of the season with the bases loaded, Diaz chopped a two-run single up the middle to score Desi Wilson and Tanner Rogers to take the lead.

Turns out the Joes would need both runs, as closer Tyler Addison allowed one in the bottom of the 10th before closing the door on Macon for his fourth save of the season. Macon's Dog Day of Summer promotion saw dozens of canine spectators watch the Joes win.. With manager Kash Beauchamp at a prior engagement, Joes hitting coach Edgar Varela took over as acting manager. It marked Varela's first-ever game as manager to begin a contest, following his stint as skipper July 14 after then-manager Desi Wilson was ejected from a game at Charlotte County in the first inning.

That game saw the Joes score five runs in the top of the ninth inning to win, 8-6, before their extra-inning win Wednesday.

"The wins are good, but I'm gonna have a heart attack soon," Varela said after the game.

Anderson's only two extra-inning wins this season have come against Macon, and they came nearly two months apart -- the first a 5-4 win on May 31.

The win handed Anderson its first back-to-back series wins of the season, sending the Joes to Aiken for a three-game set beginning Thursday, having won four of their last six games.

Anderson takes a four-game winning streak against the in-state rival Foxhounds into the 7:05 p.m. first pitch.

• Discuss this story on the South Coast League message board...

South Coast League Stories from July 26, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Anderson Joes Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central