Morales Homer in Extras Lifts Pheasants Past St. Paul
Published on June 22, 2012 under American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Cory Morales made a splash against the St. Paul Saints on Friday night...literally. The Sioux Falls Pheasants shortstop led off the top of the 13th inning with a home run that landed in a hot tub beyond Midway Stadium's left field wall, sending the Pheasants a 4-3 victory.
The Pheasants had not scored since the fifth inning before Morales' go-ahead blast against Chris Odegaard (1-4), who suffered the loss.
"He ended up hanging a slider, and I was able to get out in front and hook, so I hit it well," said Morales of his fourth home run of the year. Three of his four home runs have come against Saints' pitching. "A lot of their pitchers are similar and have the same pattern," said Morales. "When you are deep in the count, you just have to adjust and hope you get a pitch you can handle."
Pheasants reliever Jack Van Leur (2-0), who entered in the 12th inning, stayed on to toss a scoreless 13th and seal the win.
The contest was a pitcher's duel from start to finish. In his second professional start with the Pheasants (18-15), Rod Scurry tossed seven innings and allowed just two runs, one earned, while scattering five hits.
"It was the first time all season where the ball felt good out of my hands," said Scurry, who had a career-high seven strikeouts against two walks. "I was used so much out of the bullpen in the beginning of the season, which is what we needed. Now in the starting role, it makes it easier, especially with off days, to go out and let loose."
Scurry pitched out of several pressure situations and a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fifth.
"I feel confident in those situations," said Scurry, who began the year as a reliever. "When you come out of the bullpen, you go right into situations such as that. That's one benefit of going from the bullpen to starting."
Saints starter Todd Mathison made his season debut and nearly matched Scurry. He threw eight innings, yielding three runs on nine hits. He did not walk anybody and struck out one.
The Saints (16-16) scored twice in the second inning for a 2-0 lead, but the Pheasants scratched in three runs off Mathison, starting with Cristian Guerrero's RBI single in the fourth to cut the Saints' margin to 2-1. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Joe Anthonsen and Jonny Kaplan in the fifth gave the Pheasants a 3-2 lead.
The Saints tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on Ronnie Bourquin's leadoff home run against Pheasants closer Cody Evans.
Pheasants batters were hitless in extra innings against the Saints' bullpen until Morales' long ball, but Pheasants relievers shut out St. Paul on three hits. The Saints threated with a potential winning run at second with two outs in the 10th, but Dan Cooper induced Jose Hernandez into a pop out to end the frame.
The Pheasants bullpen combined to limit the Saints to only one run on four hits in the final six innings. Kyle Mertins, Evans, Dan Cooper, Tom Heithoff and Van Leur all made appearances.
Jared Bolden, Trevor Lawhorn and Morales each had two-hit nights.
The middle game of the three-game series is at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, at Midway Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Sioux Falls Sports Radio 1230-AM and www.kwsn.com.
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