Pelicans win eighth straight, 5-4

Published on July 27, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Pensacola Pelicans News Release


The Pelicans won their eighth straight game on Monday, defeating the Wingnuts 5-4. Winning eight games in a row is never easy, and the Pelicans almost lost the game in the ninth.

Hunter Davis entered the game to pitch the bottom of the ninth with the Pelicans leading 5-3. The very first batter he faced went yard to cut the lead to 5-4. After Nick Blasi's fifth homerun of the year, Greg Porter singled, and Dustin Mohr followed up by hitting a comebacker to Davis. Davis turned and hurled the ball to second base, but a bad grip resulted in the ball sailing into centerfield. Porter moved up to third, and Mohr took second; the tying and winning runs were in scoring position with nobody out. Davis induced Hunt to line out to Rodriguez playing first, and the Pelicans elected to intentionally walk Steve Pearson to load the bases. The strategy worked, as Joseph Muich hit a grounder to Contreras, whom promptly hurled the ball home and cut down the lead runner. With two out, Michael Thompson grounded out to second base, Hunter Davis earned his seventeenth save, and the Pelicans won their eighth straight ballgame.

The Wingnuts scored the first run of the game, plating Josh Horn on a RBI single by Greg Porter in the bottom of the first.

Pensacola answered back with two runs in the top of the fourth. Francisco Leandro started the frame with a walk, and stole second base. Chase Burch singled and Leandro advanced to third. Marcos Rodriguez followed with a double that scored both runners and the Pelicans were up 2-1.

Wichita responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Blasi walked with two out, and scored when Greg Porter hit a two-run bomb. Wingnuts 3, Pelicans 2.

Pensacola took the lead for good in the top of the seventh. Kevin Reynolds led off with his second single of the night, and stole second base for the second time as well. Lester Contreras singled to centerfield, but Reynolds was initially held up at third. However, the centerfielder misplayed the ball, Reynolds came home, and Contreras went to second. On a groundout to the shortstop, Contreras took third, and an error on the catcher's attempt to pick Contreras off third base sent the ball to left field and Contreras touched home. Antoin Gray hit a solo shot for his tenth round tripper of the year to give the Pelicans a 5-3 advantage.

The ninth inning went as described, and the Pelicans were victorious. Ron Hill, who pitched the seventh and eighth inning, earned the win, striking out three and allowing one hit. Aaron Jackson started the game and had his longest outing of the year: five innings with three earned runs on four hits and three walks. Jackson struck out three. Tyler Wilson pitched three outs in relief of Jackson and allowed four hits and a walk, but no runs as he struck out two batters. Hunter Davis finished it in the ninth.

Kevin Reynolds and Dallas Christison went 2-4, Gray went deep, and Rodriguez had the two-RBI double.

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American Association Stories from July 27, 2009


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