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Pump Jacks Win 7-2 in Powerful Start to Second Half

July 3, 2015 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The Pump Jacks started the second half of the season on the right foot, winning with stellar pitching from Franklin Miller and an opportunistic offense led by Dylan Mecham's homer.

The East Texas Pump Jacks beat the Texas Marshals 7-2 on Thursday night in the opening game of the second half. The Pump Jacks' second-half record now stands at 1-0 after closing out the first half at home on Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Franklin Miller was the story for much of the evening before Dylan Mecham and the Jacks' offense punctuated the win. Miller tossed seven scoreless innings before allowing a solo homer in the eighth, and Mecham's first homer run of the season highlighted a late East Texas rally that clinched the win.

Miller made his third start of the season and kicked off the second half the same way he finished the first. A reliever to start the summer, Miller had slid into the rotation a pair of solid starts. He turned in his best start yet, going eight innings while engaged in a pitcher's duel with Texas hurler Keaton Brewer.

The two pitchers were each tossing shutouts through three innings before the Pump Jacks got on the board in the fourth. Niko Buentello picked up a one-out single to extend his hitting streak to six games. After a balk put Buentello on second base, Mecham doubled him home for a 1-0 East Texas lead.

With two outs, Jake Nash was hit by a pitch and Tyler Moore walked to load the bases for Hunter Owens. Owens gave the ball a ride but it wasn't quite enough, ending the threat.

Meanwhile, Miller was keeping the Marshals at bay any way he could. He allowed a single in the first and a walk in the third, then erased both runners with successful pickoffs. In the second inning, a double and a walk put two runners on with one out, but he coaxed a double-play grounder to work out of the jam.

Miller was at his best once the Jacks got the lead. From the end of the third to the sixth inning, the lefty from Dominican College retired eight in a row. In the sixth, Kwan Adkins walked, stole second, and went to third when Moore's throw on the play went into center field. Miller stayed calm with the tying run 90 feet from scoring, though, and got the next two outs on four pitches.

Texas put two more runners on base with a pair of hits in the seventh, but again Miller frustrated the Marshals with a lazy fly ball that ended the inning.

East Texas took control of the game in the top half of the eighth thanks to a three-run shot off the bat of Mecham. After Buentello worked a one-out walk, Dilon Argo rolled a grounder up the middle. The Marshals middle infield was mired in confusion, though, and so what could have been an inning-ending double play instead left both runners safe.

Sensing an opportunity to steal a run, head coach Sam Bjorling brought in the speedy Joey Libby to run for Buentello. The defensive mishap proved to be more costly than expected when Mecham ripped a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Jacks the 4-0 lead.

The Marshals finally got to Miller in the home half of the eighth when Dylan Fry's leadoff solo homer ended the Pump Jacks' shutout bid. But Miller responded with a vengeance, striking out the next two hitters before a lazy fly ball ended his night.

Miller finished the night after allowing one run on six hits in eight innings. He walked three and struck out four. He lowered his season ERA to 1.67, putting himself in a great position to possibly earn a spot in the 2015 TCL All-Star Game next week.

The Jacks added some insurance in the ninth inning. T.J. Friedl laced a triple to lead off the inning, and Brandon Grudzielanek and Nick Roark followed with singles, the former scoring Friedl. Alex Bell's grounder forced Roark out at second to leave runners on the corners for Argo.

Bell moved into scoring position with his first steal of the season, then he and Bell scored on Argo's single to center that gave the Jacks a 7-1 lead.

Mike Crimi came in to pitch the ninth inning and surrendered an unearned run for the final margin of victory.

Mecham finished the night 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI, and Buentello went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Buentello has reached safely in his last nine games, and is 6-for-16 with two doubles, and five RBI in his last four.

Argo, Moore, and Friedl each walked twice on a night when Brewer walked eight Pump Jacks hitters.

The Jacks will go for the series sweep on Thursday, then they'll spend the July 4th weekend visiting the Acadiana Cane Cutters.

Following the 2015 TCL All-Star Game next Tuesday, July 7, in Victoria, the Jacks return home Thursday and Friday, July 9 and 10, for a two-game series against the Woodlands Strykers.

Thursday will be the Pump Jacks first Thirsty Thursday of the season, presented by the original lite beer, Miller Lite. All adults will receive a Pump Jacks koozies presented by Miller Lite, and soft drinks will be discounted to $2 each for the entire night. So beat the heat with the Pump Jacks and Miller Lite next Thursday for Thirsty Thursday!

Fans can also tune in to our live Ustream broadcast or follow the game with live scoring updates on our Pointstreak feed.

To follow all the news during the Jacks' inaugural season in Tyler, presented by Brookshire's, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.



Texas Collegiate League Stories from July 3, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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