Ortiz, Trappers Keep Rolling
June 24, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release
First baseman Luis Ortiz homered for the third straight game and the Edmonton Trappers banged out 11 more hits in a 7-4 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes Monday night at Isotopes Park. Ortiz has had a remarkable series in Albuquerque, going 9-for-13 (.692) with seven runs scored, four home runs and six RBI in only three games. He is batting .515 (17-for-33) in the month of June and has driven in 15 runs in only 11 games. The Trappers have been on a remarkable string of their own racking up 84 runs in the last 13 contests. Edmonton has 10 or more hits in seven consecutive games and currently leads the Pacific Coast League with a .303 team batting average. The club has worked its way back to the .500 mark for the first time since May 22 with three consecutive victories over Albuquerque. The Trappers and Isotopes conclude this four-game series on Tuesday night at Isotopes Park. If they Trappers win it will be the second time this season that the club has swept a four-game series on the road. Edmonton will begin an eight-game homestand against the Tacoma Rainiers on Thursday night.
The Trappers rallied from an early deficit on Sunday night to down the Isotopes, but no such rally was needed on this night as Edmonton built up a 6-0 lead and coasted to the victory. Ortiz got things going for the Trappers with a leadoff single in the second inning. Valentino Pascucci drew a walk and Scott Hodges singled to load the bases for Jake Thrower, who grounded into a fielder's choice. Ortiz scored on an error by pitcher Sean Bergman (1-8) on the play to give the Trappers a lead they would never relinquish. They plated three more runs off Bergman in the fourth inning to take a commanding lead. Ortiz led off with his ninth home run of the season and Pascucci and Hodges followed with singles. Thrower plated Pascucci with a base hit and moved to third on a throwing error by right fielder Robert Stratton. Hodges also scored on the error by Stratton. Edmonton scored twice more in the fifth inning. Shortstop Anthony Medrano led off with a single, moved to second on a base hit by Terrmel Sledge and stole third. Pascucci then singled to score Medrano and Hodges lofted a fly ball into left field for a sacrifice fly that scored Sledge.
Albuquerque finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning with a single run off Trapper starter Eric Knott (4-5). With one out Kevin Hooper and Wilson Valdez had back-to-back base hits. A fly ball moved Hooper to third and Jason Wood cashed him in with a single. Edmonton got that run right back in the sixth inning as catcher Scott Sandusky greeted reliever Juan Alvarez with a leadoff double. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Knott and scored on an error by catcher Paul Hoover. In the bottom of the seventh inning Hooper led off with a walk, advanced to second on a balk by Knott and scored as Derek Wathan grounded out. Reliever Chuck Crumpton replaced Knott in the eighth inning and yielded a two-run home run to Chris Ashby, his first with the Isotopes. Knott turned in an efficient effort for the victory, allowing only two runs on nine hits and one walk, while fanning five in 7.0 innings of work.
Highlights:
Trappers: Are 17-22 on the road...are .500 for the first time since May 22...can sweep their second four-game series of the season with a win on Tuesday night...have collected 10 or more hits in seven consecutive games and in 10 of the last 13 games...are batting .333 in those 13 games...lead the PCL with a .303 team batting average...have 758 hits in 74 games, putting the club on pace for 1465 hits...the club record is 1459...the club record for team batting average is .303...are 7-8 vs. the Central Division with all those games being played away from TELUS Field...Edmonton leads the season series vs. Albuquerque and the all-time series, 3-0.
1B Luis Ortiz: Was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run and an RBI...is 10-for-14 (.714) in his last four games...has driven in 15 runs in only 11 games in June, while going 17-for-33 (.515) with five home runs in that span...has homered in three straight games.
Alumni Report:
RHP Claudio Vargas (MTL) vs. PIT: Allowed only three hits and one walk in 8.0 shutout innings as the Expos defeated the Pirates 3-0...is 4-3 with a 2.73 ERA...tossed only 90 pitches and struck out two...matched his longest outing of the season.
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 24, 2003
- Frisco runs roughshod over Round Rock - Round Rock Express
- River Cats Rally Stopped Short - Sacramento River Cats
- Nashville Arrives for Four Games Starting Thursday - Memphis Redbirds
- Sox drop 4th straight - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Zephyrs Rally to Defeat Rainiers, 5-4 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Beavers Out-Slug Redbirds - Portland Beavers
- Ortiz, Trappers Keep Rolling - Edmonton Trappers
- River Cats Cool Down the Royals - Sacramento River Cats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
