RoadRunners Open Critical Series vs. Yuma with a Big Win
August 19, 2008 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
St. George RoadRunners News Release
ST. GEORGE - On a night where the park was painted pink - complete with a pink ribbon in the outfield and pink bases to raise awareness for breast cancer research - the St. George Roadrunners left the Yuma Scorpions feeling more than a little blue.
Seth Loman banged out two home runs and former SUU pitcher Mac Nelson threw seven strong innings as the Roadrunners rolled to a 15-7 victory over the Yuma Scorpions in the first game of a crucial four-game series Monday before 1,617 fans at Bruce Hurst Field.
"The most satisfying thing (about this win) was that it was Yuma," said Nelson, who threw 140 pitches in seven innings of work. "We deserve to sweep them and we should."
With the victory, the Roadrunners improved to 17-15 in the second half and pulled within 1 ½ games of the Scorpions for the Southern Division lead.
After the Roadrunners opened the game with a four-run first inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Loman, Nelson's own wildness - two walks and two hit batters - helped the Scorpions temporarily move out in front with five runs in the second.
"After that second inning, I needed to bite the bullet," said Nelson, who was seeing his first work since the series opener in Chico six days ago.
Thanks to his team's offense, which scored runs in six of its eight innings and had 16 hits, Nelson's work was made a little easier.
With Yuma leading 6-5, St. George struck for a single run in the third when newest Roadrunner Ivan Reyes singled to left to score Angel Sanchez.
Liu Rodriguez kept the scoring going in the fourth with a two-run double, and Reyes followed with one of his own that chased Scorpions starter Roger Luque and put St. George up for good at 9-6. Angel Sanchez greeted Yuma reliever Tyler Pearson with an RBI single to left that plated the fourth run of the frame, but he was thrown out trying to advance on the throw to the plate.
Loman struck for his second home run in the fifth, a two-run shot off Pearson, to help the Roadrunners build the lead to 12-6.
"He's an amazing talent," St. George manager Cory Snyder said of Loman, who hit his 14th and 15th home runs of the season. "When he realizes and understands how he's hitting, he'll go as far as he wants to go."
The former SUU pitcher made the defensive play of the game when he took the throw from Reyes on a Ryan Barba grounder and did a forward roll to touch the bag for the final out of the seventh, leaving two runners stranded.
St. George rewarded Nelson's effort by putting up three runs in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Stevenson homered - his team-leading 17th - Wiki Gonzalez doubled in a run, and Eddy Garabito singled in the other.
"That was hustle and being in the right place at the right time," Snyder said of Nelson's play.
"I thought I missed the bag, but a camera guy said I clipped the corner," Nelson added.
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Golden Baseball League Stories from August 19, 2008
- Vipers Comeback Falls Short - Calgary Vipers
- âCats scratch Sox, winning 7-2 - Edmonton Capitals
- Armada take one from Chico - Long Beach Armada
- Outlaws Hits The Road, Drop 6-2 Decision To Armada - Chico Outlaws
- RoadRunners Open Critical Series vs. Yuma with a Big Win - St. George RoadRunners
- OC Flyers sign former GBL Rookie of the Year, Nick Guerra - Orange County Flyers
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