Prairie Dogs Out-Slugged in Edinburgh

May 24, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


EDINBURGH, TX -- The Prairie Dog's offense must have grown accustom to the dissatisfying feeling of running in place on Thursday night. Despite cranking out ten hits and posting seven runs in the second game of the season, Abilene finished on the wrong end of a 9-7 game in Edinburgh, TX.

Last night, the Prairie Dogs hummed like an Indy car in preparation for the Sunday's Indianapolis 500. But the Roadrunners were the club to set the early tone on Thursday, posting a pair of first inning runs and pounding 14 hits en route to their first win of the season.

22-year-old Braden Tullis impressed Abilene manager Bobby Brown enough to earn the second slot in the Dog's rotation out spring training. But the first inning of the young right-hander's season provided a bevy of speed bumps. The first batter of the bottom of the first reached when Tullis committed a throwing error. Vincent Blue and Cristobal Santana followed with consecutive singles, and Edinburgh snatched an early 2-0 lead. Tullis lasted five innings allowing five runs (three earned).

As the game moved into the second inning, Nich Ochoa solidified his right handed bat as the hottest piece of lumber in the series. After Joe Weik started the frame with a walk, Ochoa launched a two-run blast beyond the scoreboard in deep left-centerfield, knotting the game at two.

But the theme on a seasonally humid night in south Texas was the Roadrunner's ability to remain one step ahead of the resilient Abilene offense. In a game that featured two ties and five lead-changes, the home squad broke deadlocks in innings number one, three, and six, the latter pushing them ahead 8-5 on the strength of a three runs.

After Edinburgh starter Dave Dinelli yielded four runs on six hits in five innings, Roadrunner's manager Vince Moor called for right-hander Stefan Comeaux. After losing a one-run lead in the sixth, Comeaux returned to the mound for the seventh, this time pinned to a three-run cushion. However, the Prairie Dogs would not go quietly. Jason Martin collected a one-out single, and Kyle Nichols walked. Comeaux turned loose a wild pitch before striking out Wilson Bautista. With Joe Weik due up and two runners in scoring position, Moor reached into his bullpen again, this time for the right hander Paul Koss. Weik, who homered on Wednesday, did his part to keep the Dogs in the game as he roped a double into the right field corner, scoring two and drawing Abilene to within one (8-7).

Unfortunately for the visitors, the bottom of the seventh continued to feed Thursday night's mantra. Another tack-on run scored when Vincent Blue touched home after Carlos Santana's R.B.I. single, and the lead expanded back to two.

Despite brining the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, the Dogs came up short in the season's second game.

The four game series continues on Friday night when the Prairie Dogs and Roadrunner clash at Edinburgh Stadium. The first pitch comes your way at 7:05 on 106.9 KLGD.



North American League Stories from May 24, 2012


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