SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

RiverDogs' Home Run Leader Ben Jones Collects First Professional Pitching Victory

Published on August 21, 2006 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - As first baseman Ben Jones chases the Charleston professional baseball career home run record, he collected his first pitching victory in the RiverDogs' 13-inning, 5-4, marathon victory on Saturday night, August 19.

Hosting the rival Savannah Sand Gnats in Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in the first of a four-game series, Charleston had just come off a weary road trip and the extra innings on this particular Saturday accounted for the third consecutive night of free baseball.

The red-hot RiverDogs, who ended up victorious in those three extra-inning contests to post wins in 18 of 24 games, could feel the effect of playing 46 innings in three days, especially in the bullpen.

So when the Saturday night game entered the 11th inning, manager Pat Roessler and pitching coach Scott Aldred knew that their bullpen was spent.

"There weren't a whole lot of options." Roessler admitted.

Aldred called on second baseman Tony Roth to pitch the 11th inning. Roth was no stranger to the mound, having been called on to pitch in a home contest against Rome on May 20. He threw two complete innings, got the win in relief and had the unique opportunity of scoring the winning run from third base in the 18th inning.

"We will never put any player's career in jeopardy," said Roessler, who, as the interim manager, doubles as the New York Yankees' director of player development.

"But we had two starters (Bryan Villalona and Garrett Patterson) last a total of three innings this week, and that makes it tough on a bullpen. But every team goes through those situations.

"And against Savannah, we were dodging bullets all night long," Roessler added.

"We knew that Roth and Jones were our top options," Aldred said. "We went with Tony first, and he lasted an inning before he tired. He did well, but he had played the entire game at second base and was exhausted.

"Every position player thinks he can pitch, but it's not so easy to go out and throw multiple innings" Aldred added. "Plus, having given him 85 days off between pitching, we didn't want to wear him out."

When the game entered the top of the 12th inning and Roth was done, Roessler and Aldred handed the ball to Jones, who had been playing first base all night.

Jones, to date, has belted 33 home runs in his two seasons with Charleston and is two round-trippers shy of matching the city's professional long ball record.

"Torre (hitting coach Torre Tyson) asked me if I could pitch a while," Jones recalled. "I told him that I would if I was needed."

He was needed indeed. Those still in the stands raised their eyebrows when the public address announcer proclaimed, "Now pitching for the RiverDogs, Ben Jones."

"He (Aldred) told me not to throw any breaking balls," Jones said. "He said to throw it easy but throw it across the plate."

A baseball star at Quachita Christian High School in Marion, La. who also played quarterback on the football squad, Jones was a pitcher/first baseman but moved totally off the mound at the college level when he enrolled at Louisiana-Monroe.

Jones pitched Saturday for the first time since his senior year in high school, and recorded two complete innings while facing eight Sand Gnats. He allowed two hits, one that did not escape the infield, and struck out one.

"It was amazing that I threw 72 miles an hour and struck someone out," Jones gloated as he sat next to his locker the following day.

"He'll remember that strikeout and this game for as long as he lives," said Roth to his teammate, who was standing a few feet away.

"Jonesy did a good job and I told him in between innings to keep it going. He smiled back, because that is what he said to me when I pitched my two innings (back in May)."

"It was probably even more special for him since his parents (who still live in Louisiana) were at the game," Roth added.

"Afterwards I called my wife (who was back home in Louisiana) and told her about the game," Jones said. "I told her that it would be a game that I would remember forever for getting my first professional win and a strikeout, too."

The pitching success certainly didn't go to Jones' head.

"I think I'm going to stick to first base and my normal job," he admitted.

In the bottom of the 12th, Jones batted and recorded a groundout. But did the thought of a rare combination of a walk-off home run while securing a pitching win cross his mind?

"I have to admit that I thought about it for a second," he admitted. "But I grounded out to third instead."

As it turned out, catcher Kevin Nelson belted a solo walk-off home run over the left field corner in the bottom of the 13th to win the game for the RiverDogs.

"I was glad that Nelly got that hit, because everyone remembers their walk-off home runs," said Jones, who slammed an extra-inning walk-off home run in May 2005. "And it was known that he would be our next pitcher."

"And that's why Nelson got the home run," Aldred interjected. "He knew that if he didn't go deep, he'd have to go on the mound."

If ever the bullpen is in this situation again, the RiverDogs brass knows that they have three position players in position to mop up. However, Aldred was blunt when he yelled, "I hope this doesn't happen again. Twice is enough."

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