Reno Silver Sox clinch first half championship

Published on July 12, 2006 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Reno Silver Sox News Release


(Pleasanton, CA. July 12, 2006) The Golden Baseball League announced today that the Reno Silver Sox have clinched the first half championship and will host the first two games of the 5-game GBL Championship Series on August 30th and 31st.

With a trademark big inning, the Reno Silver Sox scored 8 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat Yuma Scorpions last night, 15-3. The win raised their record to 24-14, and with a 3-game lead over the Chico Outlaws and Long Beach Armada with two games to play, guarantees them the first half title.

Using a split-season format, the GBL playoffs pit the winner of the first half, Reno, versus the winner of the second half. If the same team wins both halves, the team with the second best overall record across the entire season will face the Silver Sox.

"We are thrilled with the performance of this team," said Dwight Dortch, General Manager of the Reno team. "The skills of our players are a testament to the coaching staff of Les Lancaster, Mike Hartley, and Rafael Melchione, but the heart of the team is driven largely by our passionate fans and the support they've provided at each game."

Reno's high-powered offense has dominated the GBL all season, despite having sold the contract of leadoff man Victor Hall to the Yankees in mid-June. The team sports a batting average near .300, led by GBL All-Stars Marcus Jensen (.357), Edgar Varela (.341), and Doug Gredvig (.331) along with outfielder Richard Giannotti (.324), the Sox have led the league since their early 11-2 start to the season. Their pitching has been impressive as well, as the relief duo of Nate Sevier and closer Scott Schneider have racked up 5 wins and 10 saves, while starter Chris Marini and Ben Thurmond are at the top of the league in wins with 5 and 4 respectively.

The Silver Sox roster this season has included two players with major league experience, eight with Triple-A experience, and two that have reached as high as Double-A. In addition, the team has already seen four players sold to major league organizations since spring training began: Pitcher Chris Key (AA with Philadelphia), Shortstop Milko Jaramillo (AAA with Milwaukee), Shortstop Jorge Rodriguez (Rookie Ball with San Diego), and Outfielder Victor Hall (High-A with the New York Yankees).

"Without a doubt, this is the strongest team I have had in eight years of managing," said Reno Silver Sox Manager Les Lancaster. Lancaster was Baseball America's Independent League Manager of the Year in 2000 and has managed playoff teams in six of his previous seven years, including the Adirondack ball club that won the Northeast-Northern League Championship in 2000.

Playoff tickets for the games in Reno on August 30th and 31st will go on-sale July 19th at 3PM PST and can be purchased online at www.silversoxbaseball.com or by calling 775-348-RSOX (7769).

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