Singleton outlast Simpson as Outlaws bats come alive late

July 27, 2006 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Chico Outlaws News Release


Fans who attended Wednesday night's contest between the Chico Outlaws and Long Beach Armada got to see two of the league's best pitchers hook up in a pitchers' duel for 6 ½ innings. As for the final two innings, well, only one pitcher still had his "A" game.

Chico's All-Star starter Nick Singleton hurled his second complete game of the season, a shutout, and the Outlaws offense was able to rough-up All-Star Andre Simpson late in the game on its way to an 8-0 waxing. The win expanded the gap between the teams in the Golden Baseball League second-half standings, as Chico is now 7-3 and Long Beach is 4-6.

Singleton was brilliant on the bump for Chico, allowing seven hits and one walk in the complete-game effort that raised his record to 6-5. He struck out seven Armada hitters. Simpson, on the other hand, lost his first game since June 3 to fall to 5-2. He yielded six runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. The GBL leader in strikeouts tallied six on the night.

Jason Van Meetren crushed a full-count offering from Simpson over the fence in left-centerfield to give the Outlaws a 1-0 lead in the second inning. That score stood for 4 1/2 innings.

The seventh inning proved to be the pivotal point in the game, as the Outlaws found ways to score runs while the Armada couldn't cash in on a prime situation to score. After two singles to begin the inning and a sacrifice bunt, the Armada had runners at second and third with one out. A walk loaded the bases and it looked like the visiting team was in position to tie the game at one apiece. But Singleton beared down and struck out Jason Collette on three pitches before getting Bobby Castro to ground into an inning-ending fielder's choice play.

In the bottom of the inning, the Outlaws pounced on Simpson quickly as Mike Mallory and Craig Kuzmic singled before Van Meetren drew a walk. After a force play at the plate, Lino Garcia started the damage with a one-out bloop single to left field that plated Kuzmic and Van Meetren. Jesse Kovacs followed with a single through the drawn-in infield that plated Todd Gossage and Jason Matteucci dealt the knockout punch, an opposite-field single that scored Garcia. Down 5-0, Long Beach summoned Chris Testa from the bullpen, and he promptly uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Kovacs to score. Testa struck out two consecutive hitters to end the inning.

The Outlaws loaded the bases again in the eighth with one out and the Armada defense folded behind pitcher Nathan Pudewell. Garcia's one-hop grounder went right under the glove of third baseman Jeff LaRue and it allowed Mallory and Kuzmic to score easily.

Matteucci had a stellar night at the plate for the Outlaws, going 3 for 5 with a run batted in. Mallory also contributed with a 2 for 4 effort that included a run scored.

The Outlaws will gun for a 3-1 series victory Thursday as Phil Springman (4-0, 3.30 ERA) is slated to take the ball for manager Mark Parent. He will be opposed by another outstanding Armada pitcher, Ryan Claypool (3-1, 2.80 ERA). First pitch at Nettleton Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.



Golden Baseball League Stories from July 27, 2006


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