McAllen wins 5-2

Published on June 22, 2012 under North American League (NAmL)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


HARLINGEN- McAllen Thunder pitcher Brian Murphy was reborn in a 5-2 victory against the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings at Harlingen Field Friday night.

Murphy, shelled for nine runs in just 2 2/3 innings on Sunday in an 11-0 loss to the WhiteWings in Edinburg, held Rio Grande Valley to just six hits and one run in a seven inning start to end a three game McAllen losing streak.

"He'd been hit hard in the two games previous," said Thunder manager Al Gallagher. "We worked on it in the pen to get him down on his pitches."

Prior to his last two starts Murphy (2-3) had been so dominant his earned run average after three starts was 0.46. The 29-year-old righthander appeared to regain that form while fanning four and walking two batters. Even after Rio Grande Valley struck for a run in the fifth inning on a Francisco Santana sacrifice fly, a quick reminder from pitching coach Frank James allowed Murphy to regain control of his pitches with the bases loaded and nobody out and retire the last eight batters he faced.

Centerfielder Craig Hertler drove in two runs on four hits for McAllen, the first a fifth inning single to drive in speedy second baseman Michael Lewis to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead, and the second with the bases loaded that produced the final run in a 3-run eighth inning rally.

Rio Grande Valley starter Luis Noel (2-2) was also impressive, allowing only one earned run in his seven inning stint, scattering eight hits.

The WhiteWings, down 5-1, did rally in the bottom of the eighth with four straight two out singles from Leugium Barroso, Fidel Hernandez, Luis Somozo, and Ruddy Yan off lefthanded reliever Jason Moody. But Gallagher replaced the southpaw with 6-5 righthander Chad Robinson, who then got catcher Mario Mercedes to ground out to end the threat.

The WhiteWings, still in first place by a game in the North American Baseball League's Southern Division, host McAllen at 7:05 p.m. tonight in the second game of a four game series. ---1298053209-1784887671-1340423549=:77186

HARLINGEN- McAllen Thunder pitcher Brian Murphy was reborn in a 5-2 victory against the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings at Harlingen Field Friday night.

Murphy, shelled for nine runs in just 2 2/3 innings on Sunday in an 11-0 loss to the WhiteWings in Edinburg, held Rio Grande Valley to just six hits and one run in a seven inning start to end a three game McAllen losing streak.

"He'd been hit hard in the two games previous," said Thunder manager Al Gallagher. "We worked on it in the pen to get him down on his pitches."

Prior to his last two starts Murphy (2-3) had been so dominant his earned run average after three starts was 0.46. The 29-year-old righthander appeared to regain that form while fanning four and walking two batters. Even after Rio Grande Valley struck for a run in the fifth inning on a Francisco Santana sacrifice fly, a quick reminder from pitching coach Frank James allowed Murphy to regain control of his pitches with the bases loaded and nobody out and retire the last eight batters he faced.

Centerfielder Craig Hertler drove in two runs on four hits for McAllen, the first a fifth inning single to drive in speedy second baseman Michael Lewis to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead, and the second with the bases loaded that produced the final run in a 3-run eighth inning rally.

Rio Grande Valley starter Luis Noel (2-2) was also impressive, allowing only one earned run in his seven inning stint, scattering eight hits.

The WhiteWings, down 5-1, did rally in the bottom of the eighth with four straight two out singles from Leugium Barroso, Fidel Hernandez, Luis Somozo, and Ruddy Yan off lefthanded reliever Jason Moody. But Gallagher replaced the southpaw with 6-5 righthander Chad Robinson, who then got catcher Mario Mercedes to ground out to end the threat.

The WhiteWings, still in first place by a game in the North American Baseball League's Southern Division, host McAllen at 7:05 p.m. tonight in the second game of a four game series.

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North American League Stories from June 22, 2012


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