
Ramirez Launches First Rox Homer in Extra Inning Defeat
June 2, 2016 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release
Waterloo, IA - It was a warm welcoming for CF Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State) when he clobbered a pitch over the right field wall in the eighth inning. This tied the game at 3-3 and eventually forced the contest into extra innings. St. Cloud (0-2) came up just short, 4-3, and lost to Waterloo (2-0) on a bang-bang play in the bottom of the 10th inning.
With one out in the 10th, Bucks outfielder Jake Hand beat out a potential double play ball at first base and the hustle allowed Adam McGinnis to score the winning run.
St. Cloud did not waste any time on a gorgeous sunny day and scored early in the first inning. Ramirez hit a looping line drive to shallow right-center field to jumpstart the offense. With two outs, Ben Petersen (North Dakota State) drove in Ramirez with an RBI single and the Rox took a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
It did not take long for the Bucks to fight back in the second inning after a costly error in the frame. After a lead off walk, starter RHP Austin Dubsky (Murray State) unleashed a pickoff attempt to first and the first baseman Brandon Illies (North Carolina) was not on the same page. The ball soared to the fence and that allowed Tyler Curtis to reach second base. Then, Adam McGinnis collected an RBI single to tie the game 1-1 after two innings.
Waterloo and St. Cloud discovered more offense in the fifth inning. First, LF Chris Kwitzer (Buffalo) launched a skyscraper pop up to shallow left field. Waterloo CF Matthew Paciello misjudged the ball and let it plop out of his webbing.
In the bottom of the fifth, Zach Fricke clubbed a double with one out. There was a chance to end the innings and the Rox almost avoided trouble, but McGinnis hit a chopper towards third and 1B Brandon Illies bobbled the baseball, which resulted in a run to score. Waterloo and St. Cloud were tied 2-2 after five innings.
Rox starter Austin Dubsky produced a strong performance on the mound tonight. The Omaha native tossed six innings, allowed five hits, two runs (both not earned), and had three strikeouts. At Murray State this year, Dubsky only threw six or more innings twice in his college season.
Malcolm Grady (Wabash Valley College) was summoned out of the bullpen for his first appearances of the season and faced some adversity. The 6-4 right-hander walked the first two batters of the innings and at one point threw seven straight balls. However, he managed to only surrender one run and stranded two base runners.
Brandon Downey (1-0) earned the win for Waterloo and Austin Briggs (0-1) was tagged with the loss. The Rox resume their road trip when they travel to La Cross, WI to take on the La Crosse Loggers. St. Cloud will start RHP Andrew Burnick (University of Pennsylvania) on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:05pm CT and the Rock Solid Pregame Warmup starts 6:35pm CT.
Tonight's St. Cloud Times Player of the Game is Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State). Ricky collected the first home run for the Rox in the 2016 season. For more coverage of the Rox during the 2016 season visit www.sctimes.com.
For more stats and information about tonight's game, here is the boxscore:
http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=316627
Single game tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.stcloudrox.com, by calling (320) 240-9798 or by visiting the Rox ticket office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex.
Images from this story
![]() Brandon Benson of the St. Cloud Rox |
Northwoods League Stories from June 2, 2016
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- Kingfish Win First Road Game 11-1 - Kenosha Kingfish
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- Bullfrogs Drop First Game of Two Game Home Series 11-1 - Green Bay Rockers
- Rivets Lose, 8-5 - Rockford Rivets
- Mallards Look to Start a Streak - Madison Mallards
- Bullfrogs Fall in Extras - Green Bay Rockers
- Woodchucks Fall to Rockford, 14-6 - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rafters Win Home Opener in Extras with Walk-Off - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Ramirez Launches First Rox Homer in Extra Inning Defeat - St. Cloud Rox
- Hand's Walk-Off Fielder's Choice Completes 4-3 Comeback Win - Waterloo Bucks
- Rivets Earn First Win - Rockford Rivets
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