Sledge Hammers Trappers Back into First Place
Published on August 26, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release
Left fielder Terrmel Sledge was 4-for-6 with a double, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI as the Edmonton Trappers crushed the Salt Lake Stingers 13-4 Monday night at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City to move back into first place in the North Division of the PCL. Edmonton has a ½ game lead over the Stingers and a one-game lead over the Portland Beavers. Sledge tied a club record with 13 total bases in the game and added three runs scored, giving him 91 on the season. His grand slam in the Trappers eight-run fifth inning was his second of the campaign and the fifth by an Edmonton player this season. Sledge extended his hitting streak to 12 games with the performance. He leads the club in home runs with 21, hits with 156 and RBI with 90. The Trappers are in the midst of a 10-game road trip to Portland and Salt Lake that has seen them go 4-3 thus far. Edmonton and Salt Lake continue this five-game series on Tuesday night at Franklin Covey Field. The Trappers will conclude the regular season with a four-game series against the Beavers at TELUS Field over the Labour Day long weekend.
Sledge's performance was the story of the night from the first inning on. With one out and Peter Bergeron on first Sledge took a Matt Hensley (8-12) pitch deep over the wall in left field to give the Trappers an early 2-0 lead. Edmonton starter Sun Woo Kim (10-7) retired the first nine batters that he faced and took that 2-0 advantage with him into the fourth inning where the Stingers tied the game. Julio Ramirez led off the frame with a single and stole second. With one out Adonis Harrison tripled into center field, scoring Ramirez with Salt Lake's first run. Gary Johnson then singled, plating Harrison to tie the game. Edmonton bounced back with an eight-run fifth inning, which will down in club history as one of the best innings one player has ever had. Sledge opened the frame with his club-leading ninth triple of the campaign. With one out Valentino Pascucci plated the left fielder with a single. Ryan Balfe then doubled, scoring Pascucci and Matt Cepicky followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Randy Knorr drew a walk to load the bases. That was the end of the line for Hensley, who lasted just 4.1 innings on the hill.
Jake Thrower reached on an error by Salt Lake shortstop Jerome Alviso, which allowed everyone to move up a base and Balfe to score. With two out Luis Figueroa singled to score Cepicky with the Trappers fourth run of the inning. Sledge capped the frame with a grand slam off reliever Brandon Emanuel. In two at-bats in the fifth inning Sledge tripled, homered, scored twice and drove in four runs. Salt Lake plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Kim as Gary Johnson doubled home Harrison with one out and Wil Nieves later plated Johnson with a two-bagger of his own. That was as close as the Stingers could get as Edmonton scored twice more in he seventh inning and once in the eight off reliever Scott Dunn. Bergeron drew a walk to start the seventh and advanced to third on a single by Figueroa. Sledge plated Bergeron with a ground out and Luis Ortiz scored Figueroa with a double. Cepicky led off the eight with a walk and later scored on a base hit by Figueroa. Every Edmonton starter had at least one of the 19 hits the club banged out on Tuesday night.
Highlights:
Trappers: Are 32-38 on the road...eight-run fifth inning marked the 17th time the club has scored five or more runs in one inning...scored 10 or more runs for the 13th time...are 12-12 on the road since the All-Star break...lead the North Division by ½ game over Salt Lake and one game over Portland...Edmonton leads the season series, 7-6...the all-time series is tied, 62-62.
LF Terrmel Sledge: Was 4-for-6 with three runs scored, a double, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI...has hit safely in 12 consecutive games...is 22-for-50 (.440) during his 12-game streak...tied a club record with 13 total bases...has 21 homers and 90 RBI
Alumni Report:
RHP Matt Kinney (MIL) @ CIN: Earned his ninth victory of the season, allowing four runs on six hits, while striking out seven in 7.0 innings of work...Brewers defeated the Reds 10-6...is 9-9 with a 4.67 ERA...Brewers have won seven straight games.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 26, 2003
- Vogelsong Pitches Sounds To Title - Nashville Sounds
- River Cats Announce Postseason Schedule - Sacramento River Cats
- Beavers Lose Bay to Pirates - Portland Beavers
- Sledge Elected to 2003 All-PCL team - Edmonton Trappers
- Crosby Named PCL Rookie of the Year - Sacramento River Cats
- Bobby Crosby Named PCL Rookie of the Year - PCL1
- Sox Fall 10-2 to Cubs; Slip 1 Game Out of 1st - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Zephyrs Bullpen Club Names Fatheree and Zinter Winners of First Awards - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Zephyrs Stay Alive by Beating Sounds, 3-1 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Powell ends Express skid - Round Rock Express
- Sledge Hammers Trappers Back into First Place - Edmonton Trappers
- Another Victory Leaves Beavers One Game out of First Place - Portland Beavers
- River Cats' 13-game home winning streak snapped with 9-2 loss against Tucson - Sacramento River Cats
- Overbay and Gonzalez Lift Tucson - Tucson Sidewinders
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