SAL1 Lexington Legends

Streaking Legends Take Walk-Off Win on Alvarez' Hit in 9th

Published on July 24, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release


(WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK, Lexington, Ky.) Luis Alvarez' single scored Mike Kvasnicka from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Lexington Legends took a 4-3 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets Tuesday night.

Kvasnicka started the ninth inning with a single to left field, and was sacrificed to second by Justin Gominsky. Alvarez, a catcher who had just entered the game in the top of the ninth, hit a line drive off the wall in left to give the Legends the walk-off win.

The Legends, who rallied with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 3-3, have won 12 of their last 14 games and, though they are in fifth place, are just two games behind Rome in the South Atlantic League Southern Division standings.

Augusta scored a run in the top of the first inning when Jesus Galindo singled, stole second, moved to third on a ground out by Shawn Payne and scored on a base hit by Devin Harris.

The Legends tied the game in the fourth. With one out, Nolan Fontana was hit by a pitch. He moved to second on Zach Johnson's single and scored on a two-out single by Brandon Meredith.

The score remained 1-1 until the top of the eighth inning. Kelby Tomlinson led off with a single, and advanced to second on Galindo's sacrifice. Shawn Payne tripled to left center field, scoring Tomlinson, and Payne came home on an error by Gominsky, the center fielder, giving the GreenJackets a 3-1 lead.

The Legends rallied against reliever Derek Law in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan McCurdy drew a walk, and was replaced by pinch runner Ruben Sosa. Sosa took third on Delino DeShields Jr.'s single to left field, and DeShields moved to second base on the throw to third. Sosa came home on Fontana's ground out to second base, and Johnson's single scored DeShields to tie the game at 3-3, setting up the Legends' game-winning score in the ninth. The run batted in was Johnson's 80th of the season. He leads the South Atlantic League.

Mitchell Lambson (2-1), who relieved starter Jonas Dufek in the eighth inning, got the win. Law (5-2), who took over for starter Clayton Blackburn at the start of the eighth, took the loss.

Both starters were effective. Dufek allowed three runs, two earned, and eight hits in seven and one-third innings. He struck out eight batters and walked one. Augusta's Clayton Blackburn, who did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning, gave up three hits and one run in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

The Legends have won the first two games of the four-game series, which continues Wednesday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 24, 2012


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