MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Hicks Singles Kings Past Whitecaps

Published on July 25, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Comstock Park, MI - A two-out flare single to left-center by catcher John Hicks broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth, and right-hander Tyler Burgoon stranded the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth as the Clinton LumberKings avoided the sweep with a 4-3 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Monday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Mike McGee led off the eighth inning with a double to the right-center field fence off Whitecaps' right-hander Clemente Mendoza. A sacrifice bunt by Matt Browning moved him to third, and Jetsy Extrano looked to have sent him home on a swinging bunt up the first base line. However, Extrano was called out as the ball touched his foot, and McGee was called back to third on the dead ball. Hicks then came to the rescue, lofting a bleeder that dropped between shortstop Hernan Perez and centerfielder Luis Castillo to score McGee.

Right-hander Jonathan Arias (W, 4-2) walked two and loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but struck out two and got James Robbins to line out to McGee in center to keep the game tied. Burgoon came on in the eighth and worked past a leadoff single by Clay Jones, retiring the next three hitters.

In the ninth, Burgoon gloved a comebacker from Castillo for a stunning first out, but surrendered singles to Perez and Ryan Hamme afterwards to put runners at the corners. With Perez standing just 90 feet away from tying the game, Burgoon (S, 11) settled down and struck out both Nick Castellanos and Robbins, ending the game.

The Whitecaps scored the game's first two runs off left-hander Tony Butler as Josh Ashenbrenner singled and scored on a base hit by Perez in the third inning and Castellanos doubled and scored on a double to right by Jones in the fourth.

Hicks went 1-for-3 with two RBI on the night, adding a sacrifice fly to score Extrano in the fifth inning. That cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Whitecaps would go ahead 3-1 on Butler as Robbins doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on Jason Krizan's two-out line drive to right. Butler finished with three runs over 6.0 innings, striking out four in his second quality start with Clinton.

The Kings scratched out the tying runs in the seventh. Browning doubled to right-center and scored on a single to center by Robbie Anston, and Anthony Phillips reached on a hit-by-pitch and scored on a wild pitch by Mendoza. Clinton loaded the bases afterwards, but Stefen Romero popped up to the catcher Curt Casali to end the inning.

Whitecaps' right-hander Kevin Eichhorn yielded three runs over 6.2 innings in a no-decision, while Mendoza (L, 1-2) allowed the winning tally over 1.1 innings. Left-hander Jade Todd turned in one scoreless inning.

Romero and McGee each went 2-for-4 for the LumberKings, while Jones paced the 'Caps with a 3-for-4 game including an RBI. Clinton finishes their regular-season schedule against the East at 11-13.

The LumberKings (15-15) have off on Tuesday and open a three-game series against Wisconsin (13-17) on Wednesday night. Left-hander Nate Reed (2-3, 3.86) gets the game-one nod for Clinton against Timber Rattlers' right-hander Maverick Lasker (1-3, 5.53). First pitch at Alliant Energy Field is scheduled for 7:00 PM, listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at 1390kcln.com.

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Midwest League Stories from July 25, 2011


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