Outlaws Score Seven Runs In Ninth To Edge Roadrunners 9-8
Published on August 13, 2007 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
CHICO, CA - In easily the biggest comeback in franchise history, the Chico Outlaws - down 8-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, exploded for seven runs (six scoring with two outs) and shocked St. George 9-8 Sunday night at Nettleton Stadium...the come-from-behind victory completing the Outlaws three game sweep of the Roadrunners and extending their current winning streak to four.
Despite the big numbers in the final score, the buzz through the first seven-plus innings of the contest centered around a possible no-hitter thrown by Outlaws pitcher John Jefferson. Through the first seven innings, Jefferson held St. George without a hit while walking just three. Chico was getting its share of hits, but found runs hard to come by during that stretch - the Outlaws went up 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning on a two-out double by Craig Kuzmic and an RBI single by Daniel Nava, but were kept off the scoreboard until the 7th when Kuzmic scored from third on a wild pitch by former Chico reliever John Segovia (who had signed with the Roadrunners Saturday after being released by the Outlaws Friday).
Jefferson took the 2-0 lead and the no-hit bid into the 8th, but after getting the first out of the inning St. George's Steven Wright broke up the no-no with a high-chop single over third base. Following a walk to Greg Lemon, Dustin Hicks singled to plate Wright and cut Chico's lead in half. Todd Gelatka came in from the Outlaws bullpen and promptly served up an RBI double to Ryan Stevenson, tying the score. Two batters later Juan Melo singled home two to put the Roadrunners in front 4-2...Geoff Wagner followed with an RBI single...and after Tyler Pearson took over for Gelatka, Cody Nowlin doubled to the gap in right field to knock in Wagner and complete a six run St. George uprising. With Pearson still on the mound in the 9th, Hicks bombed a two-run homer to right to up the Roadrunners lead to 8-2.
Reliever Tony Pluta was called in to pitch the bottom of the 9th and post the final three outs and give St. George the win in the series finale...but it was not to be. Eric Pringle singled to lead off the inning but was erased at second on a force play grounder off the bat of Steve Boggs. David Pierson walked...then Kuzmic followed with a base hit to right. While the Roadrunners tried to throw Pierson out at second, Boggs came home from third to make it the score 8-3. Nava reached on a fielder's choice, and Chico was down to its final out still trailing by five. Scott Dragicevich walked to load the bases...then Pluta hit Jason Van Meetren with a pitch to force home Pierson. Brock Ungricht then singled to plate Nava to pull the Outlaws within three...Tyler Dean followed with his first professional hit, singling home Dragicevich and Van Meetren to make the score 8-7. Pringle tied the contest with a bloop single to right to knock in Ungricht...and on the next pitch Boggs sent a grounder to the hole at short that kangarooed over the head of Lemon into left field - the bad-hop single scoring Dean and giving Chico the amazing come-from-behind 9-8 victory.
Pearson (5-6) got credit for the win, with Pluta (2-1) taking the loss. The Outlaws racked up 15 hits on the night, with Pringle going 3-for-5 (he also etched his name in the team record book by becoming the first player to ever get two hits in an inning)...Kuzmic, Nava, Ungricht and Jason Matteucci all chipping in with two hits apiece. Hicks led St. George in the losing effort with two hits and three RBI. The win improved Chico's second half record to 10-15 and overall mark to 35-28...St. George dropped to 7-17 in the second half and 14-47 on the year. The Outlaws take Monday off before opening a six-game road trip with the first of four against the Yuma Scorpions - recently-acquired right-hander Greg Bicknell will start for Chico in the series opener, with lefty Charles Merricks (5-2) expected to be on the mound for Yuma. Game time is scheduled for 7:00pm... hear all the action with "The Voice" of the Outlaws, Rory Miller, beginning at 6:35pm on the internet or on SportsFan 101.7 FM ESPN Radio.
Golden Baseball League Stories from August 13, 2007
- Outlaws Score Seven Runs In Ninth To Edge Roadrunners 9-8 - Chico Outlaws
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