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Prairie Dogs Lose, 7-6

June 5, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


EDINBRUGH, TX - The back end of the Prairie Dogs' bullpen has been the most reliable portion of the Abilene roster through the first part of the 2012 season. And while Todd Weldon was charged with his first loss of the season in a 7-6 defeat, it was the defense that failed Abilene on Tuesday night.

After Scott Vander Weg recorded four tough outs to protect a 6-5 lead going into the ninth, Weldon came on to protect the slim advantage against the last place McAllen Thunder. As leadoff batter Brian Nichols flared a shallow fly into left-field, Bryan Fogle came racing toward the infield and dropped the popup, allowing Nichols to reach second. As the next batter, Nick Mahan, bunted a pitch toward Tylor Prudhomme at third base, the newly acquired infielder picked up the ball and fired wide of first base, allowing Nichols to score and Mahan to reach second. A few moments later, Gio Rossa laced the game-winning base hit up the middle and into centerfield to help the Thunder snap a five game losing streak with a walk-off victory.

Abilene began the scoring in the top of the second inning on Wilson Batista's first homer of the season, a solo shot over the left-field fence off McAllen starter Frank James.

Pinned to a 1-0 lead, Braden Tullis allowed three runs on five hits in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Mahan highlighted the frame with a two-run single.

The Prairie Dogs pounded out most of their offensive damage in the top of the fourth when they sent nine men to the plate. The visiting fourth featured three hits, two walks, and a hit batter. The highlights emerged from a two-run double off Kyle Nichols' bat and Joe Weik's two-run single moments later - the single helped Weik up his team-leading R.B.I. total to nine. The top of the fourth allowed Abilene to regain the lead, 6-3.

McAllen scored a run in the sixth when David Slovak - making his first appearance in Abilene uniform - yielded a run-scoring single to Mike Demperio, the run was charged to Tullis who gave up four runs over five plus innings.

The Thunder got their fifth run off of Gunner Glad in the seventh when the righty gave up a double to Nathan Tomaszewski to cut the lead to 6-5. Vander Weg relieved Glad and extinguished the threat by stranding two men on with a strikeout of Michael Lewis.

The loss prevents the Prairie Dogs from splicing together their first win streak of the season.

Abilene and McAllen will play game two of a four game series on Wednesday night at 7:05. The pre-game report on KLGD 106.9 begins at 6:55.

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