Surf Dawgs split doubleheader

August 20, 2006 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
San Diego Surf Dawgs News Release


In their only doubleheader of 2006, the San Diego Surf Dawgs lost the first game 11-6 to the Silver Sox but won the second game 7-5 at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Second baseman Mike Done (1-0) came into pitch for the Silver Sox in the first game and ended up picking up the victory while Brent Pourciau (4-6) took the loss for San Diego. In game two it was Joe Safken (2-0) taking the victory for the Dawgs while Nat Harris (0-2) took the loss.

In the first game, Reno jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on Pourciau and the Surf Dawgs, batting around in the first inning. San Diego would come right back in the second with two runs of their own, one on Adam Mandel's third home run of the season and one on Will Henderson's fourth home run.

The game would stay at 5-2 until the bottom of the third when the Surf Dawgs took the lead by scoring four runs in the frame. After Johnny Day had struck out, Mandel singled and Tony Garcia was hit by a pitch. Nick Guerra, 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, smacked a double to score Mandel; 5-3 Reno. Henderson, 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored, walked to load the bases for Joey Huskins. Huskins did the job by hitting a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Garcia from third; 5-4 Reno. Matt Maloney then slugged a triple to clear the bases and give San Diego the lead at 6-5.

Things would unravel in the fourth when Reno answered back with four runs of their own, two of them coming on a Lou Lucca home run. San Diego would be held scoreless the rest of the game.

In game two all the Surf Dawgs needed was one inning of offense to muster up enough runs for the victory. Safken and Harris kept dealing goose eggs until the bottom of the fourth when the Dawgs erupted for seven runs.

Henderson, who was 1-for-4 in game two, got it started with a single up the middle. Huskins followed suit and singled to right and Maloney was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no one out. Day, 2-for-3 with one RBI in game two, singled to right to drive in Henderson for the first run of the game. On the same play, Philip Grau, the right fielder, committed a throwing error allowing Huskins to score and Maloney to advance to third. Victor Roldan came up with runners at the corners and reached on a bunt single to drive in Maloney and it was 3-0 with no outs recorded. Jeremy McCann drew a walk to once again load the bases. Mandel then ripped a double to score two more and it was 5-0.

Garcia followed with another single to drive in McCann to make it 6-0. Nick Guerra recorded the first out of the inning as its ninth batter by flying out to left and Henderson struck out for the second out. With two out, Huskins hit his second single of the inning to drive in Mandel; 7-0. In all, the Surf Dawgs sent 12 men to the plate, had seven hits (six singles) in the big inning.

It would be just enough to pull out the victory. Joe Safken pitched marvelously, throwing five shutout innings, allowing six hits with four strikeouts. Mike Leishman was called upon to hold the lead but gave up two in the sixth and three in the seventh to close the lead to 7-5. E.J. Shanks was summoned in the seventh to relieve Leishman with a runner on second and the tying run at the plate. After allowing a single to Mike Done, Shanks then got Phil Grau to hit a groundball to short, which Garcia flipped to Day just in time to get Done to end the game. Shanks picked up his second save of the season.

The Surf Dawgs (15-17) will take to the road and head back to Yuma for the first time since late June. Monday's first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. PT.



Golden Baseball League Stories from August 20, 2006


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