Outlaws romp Armada, 6-0
Published on August 3, 2006 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
The taste of losing was bitter for the Chico Outlaws (13-4) after the Long Beach Armada (7-10) snapped their seven-game winning streak Wednesday night. But the taste only lasted about 24 hours, as the Outlaws romped to a 6-0 victory Thursday at Blair Field to get back on the winning side. The win gives the Outlaws a 2-1 series victory and keeps them at least 3 1/2 games ahead of the pack in the Golden Baseball League's second-half standings.
Outlaws starter Brian Kroll (7-3) moved into a tie with teammate Nick Singleton atop the GBL's wins column as he held the Armada to just three hits and no runs over seven innings. He has won five straight starts and lowered his earned run average from 4.09 to 3.69. In two starts at Long Beach this season, Kroll has thrown 14 innings and yielded just seven hits and one run. Chico pitchers fared well over the midweek, three-game set in Long Beach, as they allowed four runs in 26 innings.
The Outlaws played some long ball Thursday in the GBL's toughest stadium to homer in. Alex Froloff bombed the first dinger of his professional career to lead off the sixth and Lino Garcia followed suit in the next inning.
They played short ball well too. The Outlaws banged out a hit in every inning of the game and finished the contest with 17 base-knocks, one short of the team's season high of 18.
The Outlaws wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Bobby Gandolfo, Jesse Kovacs and Desi Wilson led off the game with consecutive singles. Wilson's smash up the middle scored Gandolfo but Chico left two runners on and settled for a 1-0 early lead.
Chico extended the lead to 4-0 in the fourth but the Armada had to pull off a nifty play to keep the deficit at four. Garcia boomed a triple over the centerfielder's head to lead off the inning and Jim Wallace came through with the best at-bat of the night for Outlaws hitters. Wallace worked Armada starter Justin Ramsey for 10 pitches and eventually drilled a single to score Garcia. Alex Froloff and Gandolfo followed with consecutive singles and the Outlaws had the bases loaded for Wilson, who hit a grounder to second that Bobby Castro wasn't able to corral. Wallace and Froloff scored to make it 4-0, but the rally was thwarted soon after Mike Mallory struck out looking for the second out of the inning. Wilson had broke for second and he stopped halfway while Gandolfo tried to take home. The throw from the middle infield to the plate beat Gandolfo for the final out.
Chico's final two runs came on the home runs from Froloff and Garcia. Wilson finished the night 4 for 5 with three RBI and Jim Wallace was 3 for 5 with a run knocked in and one scored. Gandolfo, Kovacs, Garcia and Froloff added two hits apiece for Chico.
Kroll ran into a small jam in the third inning when Mike DiRosa drilled a double and moved to third on Ryan Webb's one-out single. With runners on the corners and one out, Kroll retired the next two hitters on pop-ups. Other than that, he cruised through the Armada lineup, including a stretch where he retired 11 of 12. Jake McKinley and A.J. Ampi each notched a scoreless inning to end the game.
The Outlaws return home Friday for the first of three games against the San Diego Surf Dawgs, and it should be a great night to come out to Nettleton Stadium. The Outlaws will honor broadcaster Rory Miller in recognition of his 900th consecutive broadcast before the game and it's megaphone night as well. Grant Gregg is scheduled to start for Chico. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Golden Baseball League Stories from August 3, 2006
- Outlaws romp Armada, 6-0 - Chico Outlaws
- Derrick Pyles joins Surf Dawgs - San Diego Surf Dawgs
- Flyers Outlast Scorpions - Orange County Flyers
- Outlaws' win streak ends with 4-3 loss to Long Beach - Chico Outlaws
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