RailCats Rally in Ninth to Take Game One of Doubleheader
June 18, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
WICHITA, Kan. - Zac Mitchell's go-ahead sacrifice fly capped the RailCats first ninth-inning comeback of the season in a 7-6 win over Wichita in game one of Monday's day-night doubleheader. Gary (15-14) is in third place in the Central Division, four games behind the first-place Wingnuts.
The RailCats trailed 6-5 going to the ninth inning, where they faced Wingnuts' closer Josh Dew, who hadn't allowed a run in his first 10 innings pitched this season. With one out, Adam Klein and Mike Massaro drew back-to-back walks and Cristian Guerrero flared a single to left to load the bases. Craig Maddox walked on a 3-2 pitch to tie the game. Mitchell, who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the eighth, hit a fly ball to center on the next pitch, scoring Massaro with the go-ahead run.
Wichita threatened in the bottom of the ninth against RailCats' closer Clay Zavada. Jared McDonald hit a leadoff single but was thrown out by Maddox trying to steal second. After an infield hit by Jake Kahaulelio with two out, Zavada struck out John Rodriguez to end the game and collect his third save.
The bulk of the scoring in the game happened in a wild first inning, when the teams combined for nine runs. The RailCats loaded the bases with one out in the inning, as Klein singled and Guerrero and Maddox walked. With two down, Brian Kolb drew a bases-loaded walk to put the RailCats on the board. Drew Martinez then beat out an infield single to score Guerrero. Danny Pulfer followed with a bloop two-run double down the right field line to make it 4-0.
Wichita responded in the bottom of the frame against RailCats starter Alain Quijano. CJ Ziegler hit an RBI double to left and Brent Clevlen followed with a three-run homer to right, his second in as many at-bats, to tie the game at four. The Wingnuts took the lead on a throwing error by Maddox, trying to throw out a runner at second. The throw went into center, allowing Abel Nieves to score from third to give Wichita a 5-4 lead.
Gary tied the game in the fourth as Martinez and Pulfer led off with back-to-back singles. Chase Tucker hit into a double play, but Maritnez came home to score and tie the game at five.
Ziegler hit Quijano's first pitch of the fifth inning over the wall in left-center for his tenth homer of the year to put Wichita in front 6-5.
Taylor Sewitt (2-0) threw a scoreless eighth to pick up the win for Gary. Quijano battled back after the tough first inning to last seven innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits.
Dew (2-1) took the loss for the Wingnuts. Wichita starter Chris Smith gave up five runs on six hits in six innings for a no-decision.
The win was the first for the RailCats this season when trailing after eight innings, and the first time that Wichita has lost a game when leading entering the ninth. Martinez and Pulfer each had two hits and Pulfer drove in a pair of runs.
Game two of the day-night doubleheader starts at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Billy Spottiswood will start for the RailCats against Wingnuts' lefty Anthony Capra. The radio broadcast begins at 7:00 on 89.1 FM The Lakeshore and www.railcatsbaseball.com.
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