Scorpions Sting RoadRunners Grandly
Published on June 21, 2008 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
St. George RoadRunners News Release
YUMA - The RoadRunners seemed ready to break a four-game losing streak by scoring early, but the host Yuma Scorpions used a couple of long balls to best St. George. A Hector Bernal seventh-inning grand slam highlighted a five-run frame that pushed the Scorpions past the RoadRunners 8-5 on Friday night.
St. George's losing streak reaches five games while the Scorps snap a four-game skid.
St. George broke from the gates early. Ryan Stevenson led off with a single and Liu Rodriguez was walked by Yuma starter Jorge Perez. Brandon Taylor executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Cody Nowlin knocked a double to the right-center field wall to plate Stevenson and Rodriguez.
The RoadRunners pushed their led to four in the fifth inning. After a Juan Serrano single, a Mike Done double and a walk to Stevenson, Rodriguez and Taylor each had RBI-sacrifice flies.
Yuma cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth off St. George starter Aaron Wilson, a former Scorpion. Yosvany Almario slugged a homerun to left-center with Henry Calderon aboard. Maikal Jova walked and scored two batters later when A.J. Valentine doubled to right. The Scorpions cut the RoadRunners lead to one, 4-3. The fifth would be Wilson's last frame. He allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out one.
Wiki Gonzalez doubled sharply to left to start the sixth. Serrano grounded a ball into center field scoring Gonzalez and pushing the advantage to two.
Billy Simon, who entered the game for Wilson in the sixth, would supply Yuma with the offensive outburst they needed in the seventh. Calderon singled and Almario walked. Jova hit a sharp one-hopper to Done at third who forced out Calderon. Jeremy Cleveland doubled down the left field line to score Almario and Valentine walked. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Bernal pulled a fastball over the wall in right for a grand slam. On one pitch, the RoadRunner advantage turned into a Yuma lead, 8-5.
John Segovia allowed a Calderon double in his only inning, the eighth.
Yuma reliever James Garcia entered for Perez in the eighth. After retiring the side in order in the eighth, Garcia got two quick outs in the ninth. Stevenson would draw a walk and Rodriguez reached on a Bernal throwing error. Taylor walked up to the plate with a chance to tie the game, but grounded out on the first pitch to Calderon to end the game.
Perez (2-2) got credit for the win after allowing five run on seven hit is seven innings. Simon (1-4) receives the loss after surrendering the go ahead runs.
St. George had seven hits overall with only Serrano having a multi-hit contest. Yuma had 11 hits, paced by Calderon's four (three singles, double) and Almario's two (single, HR).
Game two of the weekend series is Saturday night at 7:00pm Pacific. Yuma has named Evan White as the starter while St. George is expected to counter with Shannon Sprouse.
Catch all of the action on Sports Radio 1210 and Network1Sports.com with John Potter beginning at 6:50pm Pacific with the Infowest Pre-Game Show.
NOTE: Sunday's game, the series finale, will be played at Alexander Field in Blythe, CA.
Golden Baseball League Stories from June 21, 2008
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- Vipers Slither By - Reno Silver Sox
- Snakes Rally From Five Down - Calgary Vipers
- Scorpions Sting RoadRunners Grandly - St. George RoadRunners
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