Scorpions Take Series Opener, Down Outlaws 11-8
August 15, 2007 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
YUMA, AZ - A nine run deficit was just too much for Chico to overcome - despite scoring seven times in the 6th inning and eventually pulling to within one, the Outlaws were beaten by the Yuma Scorpions 11-8 Tuesday night in the opener of a four-game series at Desert Sun Stadium.
The Outlaws debut of pitcher Greg Bicknell was not exactly a memorable one - the veteran right-hander allowed nine runs and seven hits in only five innings of work. Yuma jumped out to a quick lead when Mike Goss led off the bottom of the 1st with a double and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Henry Calderon. A.J. Valentine followed with his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to put the Scorpions up 2-0. In the 2nd inning Yuma scored again when Yosvany Almario came home from third before Jordan Prado was tagged out in a rundown between first and second. But the Scorpions did most of their damage in the 5th - Calderon's bases-loaded double plated a pair to make it 5-0...Rich Janeway then scored from third on a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed Calderon to come home to put Yuma up 7-0. Before the inning was over Maikel Jova walked and Almario followed with an RBI triple; Almario also scoring on the play when Eric Pringle sent a wild relay throw to third...when the dust had finally settled, the Scorpions were sitting on a 9-0 lead.
Chico came right back in the 6th by knocking Yuma starter Evan White out of the box - three straight one-out singles by Jesse Kovacs, Craig Kuzmic and Daniel Nava put the Outlaws on the board...Todd Gossage then delivered a bases-loaded double to knock in a pair and cut the Yuma lead to 9-3. Jason Van Meetren scored when Almario booted Jason Matteucci's grounder to second...then following a walk to Pringle, Steve Boggs singled home Gossage and Matteucci to make it 9-6. Eric Maydew came in to relieve White, but uncorked a wild pitch allowing Pringle to score to complete the seven-run rally and pull Chico to within two. The Outlaws made it 9-8 with a run in the 7th - Kuzmic scoring on a Hector Bernal throwing error. But that would be as close as Chico would get - Almario delivered a two-out double off Outlaws reliever Nick Singleton in the 7th to make the score 11-8...then relievers Roger Luque and Neil Hayes combined to allow just one Chico baserunner over the final two innings to lock down the series-opening victory.
White (7-2) got credit for the win, with Hayes picking up his 10th save of the season...Bicknell (0-1) was saddled with the loss. Chico actually outhit Yuma 12-10, with Kuzmic and Boggs each collecting three hits. Almario paced the Scorpions with three hits and three RBI; Calderon also knocked in three as Yuma improved to 17-9 in the second half and 38-26 overall...the Outlaws fell to 10-16 in the second half and 35-29 for the year. Game two of the series is set for Wednesday night with Chico sending right-hander Daniel "Duck" Howard (1-0) to the mound to face lefty Charles Merricks (5-2) of the Scorpions...game time is 7:05pm; hear all the action with "The Voice" of the Outlaws, Rory Miller, beginning at 6:35pm on the internet or on SportsFan 101.7 FM ESPN Radio.
Golden Baseball League Stories from August 15, 2007
- Flyers General Manager Resigns - Orange County Flyers
- Great Promotions This Weekend - Reno Silver Sox
- Roadrunners Steal Win in the Ninth - Reno Silver Sox
- Scorpions Take Series Opener, Down Outlaws 11-8 - Chico Outlaws
- Scorpions hold off Outlaws - Yuma Scorpions
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