Outlaws lose wild one to Scorpions, 12-10
Published on August 17, 2006 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
YUMA, AZ - The Chico Outlaws overcame a seven run deficit to catch Yuma Wednesday, but the host Scorpions went on to plate runs in the 7th and 8th innings and withstood a Chico rally in the bottom of the 9th to pull out a 12-10 victory at Desert Sun Stadium...Yuma handing the Outlaws their second straight defeat.
Chico got on the board immediately - RBI singles by Craig Kuzmic and Jason Van Meetren put the Outlaws in front 2-0 in the top of the 1st inning. But in the bottom of the 1st, a pair of two out Chico errors kept the inning alive for Yuma and the Scorpions took a 4-2 lead on run-scoring singles by Billy Malone and Javier Lopez and an RBI double by Hector Tena. Jacob Guzman's bases-loaded double off Outlaws starter Grant Gregg plated three runs in the 2nd to up Yuma's lead to 7-2...Chico would answer with a run in the 3rd - Bobby Gandolfo doubled and came home two batters later on a Mike Mallory groundout - but the Scorpions continued to feast on Outlaws errors and scored three more unearned runs (Henry Calderon, who doubled to lead off the 4th, stole third and came home when catcher White Pierce sailed a throw into left field; in the 5th Kuzmic's second bobble of a grounder at third allowed Lopez to score...Tena crossed the plate later in the inning on a Kalen Norton sacrifice fly) to boost their lead to 10-3.
Chico climbed back into the contest, scoring three in the 6th off Yuma starter Chris Langlois as Van Meetren and Todd Gossage delivered run-scoring singles and Jesse Kovacs chipped in with an RBI groundout. The Outlaws then roughed up the Scorpions bullpen, scoring four times in the 7th - Mallory singled home Gandolfo...then, with the bases loaded, Gossage tripled to the right field gap to tie the score at 10 apiece. Tena put Yuma back in front in the bottom of the 7th, bombing a solo homer off Chico reliever Jake McKinley...then in the 8th three straight two-out singles by Andy Wilson, Kevin Reinking and Malone plated a big insurance run and gave the Scorpions a 12-10 lead. The Outlaws put the tying runs in scoring position with one out in the 9th inning, but Yuma closer Walt Nolen got Jim Wallace to fly out to shallow right field and struck out Kovacs to end the game and give the Scorpions their third straight win and fourth over Chico in the last five games.
Roger Luque (2-0), the fourth of five pitchers used by Yuma, tossed an inning-and-a-third of scoreless relief to earn the victory, with Nolen picking up his seventh save of the year...McKinley (0-3) took the loss for Chico. The Outlaws collected 15 hits in the losing effort - Van Meetren went 4-for-4 on the night, with Gossage and Gandolfo each banging out three hits...Tena finished the evening 3-for-3 for the Scorpions, with Calderon, Malone and Lopez chiming in with two safeties apiece. Wednesday's loss dropped Chico to 19-9 in the second half (41-27 overall), but the Outlaws remain a game-and-a-half ahead of second place Fullerton in the battle for the final GBL playoff spot (the Flyers were beaten by San Diego Wednesday 12-9)...the Scorpions, winners of seven of their last nine, improved to 12-16 in the second half and 30-38 for the year.
The Outlaws will try to avoid a series sweep Thursday in the finale of the three-game set...right-hander Hideki Nagasaka (4-1 with Chico, 5-1 overall) will be on the mound for the Outlaws, with All-Star righty Jorge Perez (6-4) getting the ball for Yuma. First pitch is at 7:15...hear all the action with Rory Miller on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM or on the internet at www.ChicoOutlawsBaseball.com.
Golden Baseball League Stories from August 17, 2006
- Schmidt caps comeback for Flyers - Orange County Flyers
- Last games for 2006 - Long Beach Armada
- Outlaws lose wild one to Scorpions, 12-10 - Chico Outlaws
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