Pudewell's complete game carries Armada 6-1

Published on June 27, 2006 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Long Beach Armada News Release


LONG BEACH, CA June 26, 2006-The Long Beach Armada showed the Golden Baseball league why they are the hottest team after riding the shoulders of Nate Pudewell's (1-2) complete-game four-hitter and Randall Shelley's three RBIs in a 6-1 trouncing of the Reno Silver Sox.

The Armada has now won seven of its last eight, moving to within three and a half games of first place Reno.

"We're coming together as a team," said third baseman Randall Shelley, who was 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs. "We've got a great group of guys. There's no skunk on the team. Everyone gets along."

"The team is working a little harder now," added Pudewell. "You can see people running before the game and going to the gym more."

Fortunately the rally skunks did not make appearance on the field tonight as the Armada (13-10) jumped out in front of Reno (17-7) with two unearned runs in the first to lead 2-0.

Long Beach then broke open the game in the third with four runs and quickly led 6-0. A two-run single by Shelley gave the Armada a 4-0 lead, before a sacrifice fly and a balk led to the six-run lead. Having a lead allowed Pudewell to slide into cruise control and work the complete game.

"I figured I'd try to go 5 or 7 [innings] but never through 9," said Pudewell.

"I hadn't been doing well in my first two starts," he added. "But working from the bullpen allowed me to find my rhythm."

Randall Shelley knows how pitcher-friendly this park is and encourages his teammates to go after that first-pitch strike.

"I try to tell all the pitchers to get ahead," said Shelley noting that the deep lines at Blair lead to more flyouts than at other parks.

"[Reno's] got a hitter's park, like the Rockies do in Colorado," said Pudewell. "But [Blair] is the complete opposite."

Reno finally broke through with a run in the sixth, off two hits and a sacrifice fly as Pudewell pitched a one-hitter through the first five innings.

The Armada offense continues to flourish as Ryan Webb was 2-for-5 extending his hit streak to 12 games and Samone Peters was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

"We got a lot of guys swinging the bat real good," said Manager Darrell Evans. "We have a lot of guys that can carry this club right now. They've also played so well defensively and that has been overlooked."

Tonight's game marked the beginning of an eight-game home stand for the Armada. Reno plays here the next three nights all at 7:05 p.m. Justin Ramsey will start for the Armada giving Bud Smith and extra few days of rest before facing Yuma on Friday. Andre Simpson and his league-leading 43 strikeouts will pitch on Wednesday and Ryan Claypool takes the mound on Thursday.

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