Late Homers Not Enough to Lift \'Wings

Published on May 30, 2008 under United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


Harlingen, TX - The Harlingen WhiteWings (6-10) got home runs from Argelis Nunez and David Fowler late in the game, but it wasn't enough as they lost to the Amarillo Dillas (10-5) 7-4 tonight at Harlingen Field.

Down 7-3 entering the ninth, the WhiteWings scored a run and loaded the bases with one out against David Koons. The Dillas went to closer Drew Jackson, who blew away Brian Nichols and Nunez to end the game and pick up his third save.

The Dillas got on the board against Bobby Darling (0-1) in the fourth when Keith Brachold singled, Gary Schneidmiller hit a ground-rule double, and Darling threw a wild pitch to move the runners up, making it 1-0.

Darling ran into more trouble in the fifth, as he passed his previous high water marks for pitches thrown (58) and innings pitched (four) in a game this season. Joel Gonzales hit a one-out single and Josh Ashton followed with a ground-rule double. Jonathan Reynoso walked to load the bases. A Brachold ground out scored the first run and a Schneidmiller single scored the other two to make it 3-0.

In his first start since 2006 with Rockford (Frontier League), Darling went five and one-third innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

The WhiteWings started their comeback attempt in the sixth against Marcos Castillo (2-0) when Ryan Fox led off with a double off the top of the left-center field wall. One batter later, Nunez crushed his first WhiteWings home run over the light pole beyond the left field wall to make it 4-2.

Fowler hit a two-out solo shot into the WhiteWings bullpen down the leftfield line in the seventh to bring the Wings within one at 4-3.

Castillo's night was over one batter later. He went six and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out three and not walking anyone.

The Dillas got a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as A.J. Johnson and Justin Wenger reached with two outs against Dan Ziegler. After a strikeout of Stephen Douglas, Ziegler was pulled so Derek Bennett could face Gonzales, who hit a two-run single to make it 6-3.

They got one more in the ninth when Reynoso hit a solo-home run against Bennett.

The WhiteWings and Dillas play game two of this three game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Jorge Lugo (1-0) will face right-hander Taylor Allen (2-0).

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United League Baseball Stories from May 30, 2008


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