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Pelicans Erase Seven Run Deficit But Lose in Ninth

May 22, 2009 - American Association (AA)
Pensacola Pelicans News Release


Pensacola will leave El Paso with the makings of a rivalry in place. El Paso defeated Pensacola 11-10 in the bottom of the ninth, on a two-out RBI single by Hector Bernal. The entire series was a back and forth contest that ultimately saw El Paso win two of three.

Tonight's game was a close one, thought it didn't start out that way. El Paso put up five runs in the first and two more in the second to make it seven to nothing before the Pelicans scratched the scoreboard with a run in the top of the third.

The Pelicans clawed back however, putting up two more runs in the top of the fourth. Justin Humphries hit a two-out, RBI double that scored Marcus Rodriguez. Humphries then scored on an error by the shortstop. El Paso added a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 8-3 Diablos.

The Pelicans got hot in the fifth, starting things off with a Francisco Leandro leadoff double. He moved to third when Luis Gaunce singled. Antoin Gray brought in Leandro with an RBI single, and Luis Bautista scored Guance and Leandro with a double. When Chase Burch singled, Diablos manager Butch Henry replaced starting lefty Nick Martin with Baron Short. Bautista scored when Marcos Rodriguez ground out to second, and then Justin Humphries hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Burch and tie the game at eight.

El Paso responded in the bottom of the fifth with a run of their own, back on top 9-8. The score would stand until Pensacola took the lead for the first time of the night, picking up two runs in the top of the eighth when Dallas Christison and Jimmy Mojica touched home.

El Paso continued to grapple with the Pelicans, tying the game with a run in the eighth.

Enter the top of ninth.

Pensacola had Justin Humphries on second after he singled and advanced on a wild pitch with one out. Robert Wooley shut the door on the Pels, however, notching a strikeout and a groundout to strand Humphries at second.

Corey Bass struck out the first two Diablos in the bottom of the ninth, bringing Jerry Verestigui to the plate. He singled, prompting Butch Henry to enter the speedy James Washington as a pinch runner. Washington took off for second base, and truly came away with a steal: the play was so close that Talmadge Nunnari came out of the dugout to argue the call. The umpire didn't change his decision however, and Hector Bernal lined a drive to right field to score Washington from second to win the game on a play at the plate.

The Pelicans travel to Grand Prairie for a three game road set before returning home on Monday as they attempt to extract revenge on El Paso. All Pelicans games are broadcast live and free on www.pensacolapelicans.com.



American Association Stories from May 22, 2009


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