K-Tribe falls in extras 4-3
Published on May 21, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Kinston Indians News Release
In a series that produced three straight one-run games, it was only fitting that the final game of the 4 game set would be settled once again by the slimmest of margins.
The Potomac Nationals got a 10th inning home run by Michael Burgess to take the game 4-3 and winning the series 3 games to 1.
The series finale was a pitcher's duel in reverse, as the first inning lasted 45 minutes, each starter threw 34 pitches and the two squads scored three times a piece.
Kinston starter Ryan Morris surrendered three hits, walked two and let up three runs in the first inning to the Nationals.
The K-Tribe responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame, all with after two outs.
Cord Phelps singled to start the rally, then back to back walks to Nate Recknagel and Matt Brown loaded the bases. Potomac starter Tom Milone, who came into the game with a 3.11 ERA, the ninth best in the Carolina League, then let up a 2-RBI single to Kinston shortstop Ronald Rivas. Last night's hero Ryan Blair then doubled to centerfield off the glove of a diving Boomer Whiting to drive home Brown.
The game was filled with goose-eggs for the next 8 innings as both squad's pitching staffs found their groove and shut down the opposing offenses.
The Indians' best scoring chance came in the 8th inning. Matt Brown singled to left and reached second on Potomac leftfielder Jesus Valdez's fielding error. Then after a Rivas strikeout, Blair was intentionally walked and the K-Tribe brought leading hitter Lonnie Chisenhall off the bench to pinch hit. Chisenhall walked, to load the bases for Adam Davis. Nationals reliever Clint Everts got Davis to fly out to left to end the threat.
The game went into extra innings still tied at three when the Nationals' leading homerun hitter delivered. Michael Burgess homered over the right-centerfield wall off Kinston reliever Kyle Landis to provide the final run of the game.
In the bottom half of the tenth, Rivas walked with two out, reached second on a Cole Kimball wild pitch, but was left stranded as Blair lined out to second base to end the game.
Landis picked up the loss, his second of the series, to drop to 0-3. Everts earned his second win of the season for Potomac with two scoreless innings in relief, and Kimball notched his second save of the season and the series with the scoreless 10th.
Kinston is now 0-2 in extra inning affairs this season, while Potomic improves to a perfect 4-0 in extra frames.
The K-Tribe hits the road for a nine game road trip starting Friday night in Frederick. The K-Tribe will start play at 5pm Sunday night, picking up the game suspended by rain on Sunday. Ryan Mahalic will be pitching for Kinston when the suspended game resumes. Jonathan Holt is the scheduled to start game two. The roadtrip begins a stretch where the K-Tribe plays 16 of the next 19 and 23 of the next 29 games on the road.
Carolina League Stories from May 21, 2009
- Keys pitchers silence Lynchburg bats - Lynchburg Hillcats
- K-Tribe falls in extras 4-3 - Kinston Indians
- Burgess Blast in 10th Boosts P-Nats to Victory - Potomac Nationals
- Johnson blasts Pelicans to split - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Moustakas Extends Hit Streak to 12, Rocks Settle for Series Win - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Cody Johnson Powers Pelicans Past Dash - Winston-Salem Dash
- Sox Snap Skid, Steal Series Finale 2-1 - Salem RidgeYaks
- Beato Tosses Six Solid Innings in 3-2 Win Over Hillcats - Frederick Keys
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Potomac Nationals Game Notes - Potomac Nationals
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