Pelicans Send Saints Down in 13

Published on July 19, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Pensacola Pelicans News Release


The Pelicans won a wild one in Pensacola on Saturday night, defeating St. Paul 7-6 in 13 innings. The Pelicans tied a season-high with 20 hits on the evening, a feat they last achieved on June 22 against Grand Prairie. Hunter Davis is credited with the win, his third of the year, as Adam Deleo scored the winning-run on a would-be double play.

With one out in the bottom of the thirteenth, the Pelicans had the bases loaded and Lester Contreras at the plate. Contreras hit a groundball that shortstop Steve Mays scooped up and took to second base as the first part of an attempted double-play. Stepping on the bag, Mays tripped and was unable to make a throw to first, allowing Deleo to score from third and the Pelicans won 7-6.

The Saints actually scored the first run of the ballgame. Anthony Norman started the game with a single, moved to second when Jason Cooper singled, and scored on Brent Krause's base hit.

Pensacola tied the game and took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Antoin Gray led off with a base knock. Francisco Leandro followed up with a sacrifice bunt to third base that moved Gray up 90 feet. Chase Burch walked before Gray came home on a Marcos Rodriguez single to tie the game. After Luis Guance singled, Lou Palmisano brought Burch in and the Pels led 2-1.

St. Paul tied the game in top of the fourth, as Josh Alley hit a single to start, moved to second on a Jake Butler hit, and scored when Jeff Eure picked up a RBI. Pensacola took the lead right back in the bottom half, scoring Adam Darby on a RBI-double by Francisco Leandro. Darby originally reached on an error by the second baseman.

The Pelicans pushed their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Adam Darby hit his second homer of the year to begin the frame. The Saints would not be down for long, as they scored three runs to re-take the lead in the top of the seventh.

Anthony Norman started the seventh inning at first base after being hit by a pitch. He scored when Brent Krause knocked him in. Jason Cooper reached on an error and scored when Josh Alley hit him in, and Krause scored on a RBI single by Jake Butler. 5-4 St. Paul.

Luis Guance started the bottom of the seventh with his third of four singles on the night. He moved to scoring position on a ground out and scored on a Lester Contreras single to tie the game at five.

The Pelicans threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but they left the bases loaded and the game went to extras. The Saints picked up a run in the top of the tenth when Jake Butler hit his league-best thirteenth home run of the season. Pensacola tied the game when Antoin Gray began the bottom half with an Antoin Gray single. He moved to second when Leandro hit the same, and Gray tied the game after Marcos Rodriguez hit safely.

Neither team would score until the Pelicans won it in the bottom of the thirteenth. Adam Deleo almost had a walk-off, starting the inning with a double of the left field wall. Luis Gaunce reached first base on catcher's interference, and both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Lou Palmisano. The Saints intentionally walked Rafael Alvarez to load the bases and bring Lester Contreras to the plate with one out. Contreras hit the ground ball to shortstop that resulted in Deleo scoring the winning run, and the Pelicans took the game 7-6.

Jason Navarro started the game for the Pelicans and went 6.1 innings, allowing ten hits. Five runs scored on his watch, four earned. He walked one and struck out two batters. Ron Hill relieved Navarro and pitched an inning and two-thirds, striking out three and yielding just one hit. Tyler Wilson pitched one out shy of three innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. Hunter Davis pitched the final two innings and a third, walking two, striking out one, and allowing three hits.

Luis Guance recorded four hits for the Pelicans, and Adam Darby stole two bases while knocking around two hits, one being his second home run of the year. Antoin Gray, Francisco Leandro, Marcos Rodriguez, Adam Deleo, Lou Palmisano, and Rafael Alvarez all had two hits as well, with Leandro and Deleo both making one of the hits a double.

The Pelicans will look for the sweep on Sunday, the final game before the All-Star break. Pelicans' ace Kyle Middleton will throw against the Saints' Tom Buske. The battle of right-handers begins at 6:05 p.m.



American Association Stories from July 19, 2009


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