Sox home win streak ends at eleven

July 2, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Amarillo ThunderHeads News Release


AMARILLO, TX - The first loss at home since June fourth results in a score of 4-1 against the Newark Bears at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium. The game lasted just two hours and fifteen minutes in front of 1,842 in attendance. Jason Mitchell also earns his first loss since the fourth of June as he pitched into the ninth inning.

Leondy Perez started on the mound for the Bears and retired the first trip through the Sox order. Newark was able to hit in two runs in the second after Carlos Guzman led off with a single. The next batter, Jamar Walton reached on an error and would later be thrown out at third by Cory Patton from left. Runs batted in during the inning came from catcher Kyle LaFrenz and designated hitter Danny Lackner. The first Sox runner was on in the fourth when KC Serna led off the inning with a walk, followed by an Adam DeLaGarza bunt single. But a double play and a fly-out ended hopes of getting on the board.

In the fifth, Chris Grossman singled to start it off but another double play cleared the bases. Brandon Jones then came up and hit a hanging curve ball over the left field wall to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. Serna led off the sixth with a single but would be left stranded on third after stealing a bag and advancing another base on LaFrenz's throwing error. The Bears threatened to put more runs up in the top of the same inning but a double play turned by Serna and Trey Ford ended Newark's chance. Both starters put down the opposing lineups in order for the seventh inning. Mitchell pitched a one-two-three eighth which included an error by Jones and immediately after, a line-out double play turned by Jones to end the inning.

Trey Ford singled on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the eighth and was pinch ran for by Jermel Lomack. The runner moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jason Martin. Serna walked, and then a double steal put two in scoring position as the Sox trailed by a run. The next two batters would strike out against Bears' reliever, Kyle Morrison.

Jason Mitchell threw one pitch in the ninth which rendered Bridger Hunt's second single of the night. The reliever for the Sox was Josh Giles. After a successful bunt-for-hit was laid down, a groundout moved both runners into scoring position. Ernie Banks Jr. would be intentionally walked to load the bases. The next batter, LaFrenz hit a bloop single to left, increasing Newark's lead to 3-1. Giles struck out the next batter, Lackner, who ended the game with three strikeouts. With two outs and the bases still loaded, Ryan DiMascio singled in another run and the inning ended when Cory Patton threw out a runner at home. Two Sox batters were struck out in the bottom of the ninth and then a groundout back to the pitcher, Jorge Vasquez ended the game.

Leondy Perez (W, 5-3) pitched seven innings and allowed one run on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Jason Mitchell (L, 3-3) gave up three runs, two earned on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts through eight innings. Josh Giles pitched in relief during the ninth, recording all three outs and giving up a run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Newark's eighth inning reliever, Kyle Morrison allowed no runs on one hit while walking one and striking out two. Jorge Vasquez (S, 8) struck out two in three batters faced.

With the loss, the Sox drop to 27-16, while the Bears improve to 13-26 on the season. Wednesday, the Sox host Newark for the second of a four-game series. The game is set to begin at 7:05pm with the Aqua One Pre-Game Show at 6:55pm on Ustream via www.amarillosox.com. Game time is tentative and is subject to blackout.

Season tickets are available for purchase in-person by visiting the Sox Front Offices at 801 S. Polk or over the phone by calling (806) 242-4653. For more information on tickets, game times and schedules, promotions, marketing opportunities, and everything else Sox, visit the "Official Website of the Amarillo Sox" at www.amarillosox.com.



American Association Stories from July 2, 2013


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