Surf Top Pats in 11 Innings
June 28, 2003 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Atlantic City Surf News Release
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (June 28, 2003) â Jorge Meran lined an RBI single up the middle in the eleventh inning to lift the Atlantic City Surf over the Somerset Patriots, 8-7, Saturday evening at the Sandcastle.
The Surf's Juan Thomas led the eleventh off with a double and was advanced to third on a sac bunt by Emison Soto. Somerset then opted to intentionally walk the next two batters to load the bases for Meran, who had entered the contest an inning earlier for defensive purposes.
Meran took the first offering from Mike Gray up the middle to score Thomas from third base and keep the Patriots from sweeping the Surf in the three-game series.
A two-run homer off the bat of Luis Lopez gave the Patriots an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Surf starter Andy High pitched strong after the Lopez homer until the sixth inning, when Alexander Hernandez' RBI groundout and Tony Gsell's two-run single gave the Pats a 5-0 advantage.
High left the game after five and two-third innings, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking four.
Pats starter Jason Dickson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Chad Gambill's leadoff single. Things seemed to snowball for Dickson after that, as back-to-back RBI singles by Ric Johnson and Raul Marval narrowed the Somerset lead to 5-2.
Then Thomas stepped up and laced a 1-2 Dickson curveball over the left field fence to tie the ball game.
A sacrifice squeeze by Marval in the bottom of the eighth inning plated Enohel Polanco from third base for what looked like the winning run, until Somerset's Gsell stepped up in the ninth and cranked a solo home run to lead off the inning and tie the contest at 6-6.
Surf closer Randi Mallard who also allowed the Gsell homer, stayed in to pitch the tenth and surrendered a solo home run to Ryan Radmanovich on a two-out, 2-2 pitch.
Atlantic City once again countered in the bottom half of the tenth after Johnson lined a base-hit to right field that plated Willy Ruiz, who was pinch running for Pat Burns who led the inning off with a single.
The Surf improve to 26-27 on the season while the Pats fall to 25-27.
ON DECK: The Surf begin a three-game series with the Camden Riversharks starting Sunday, June 29, at 6:35 p.m., at Campbell's Field. The "Atlantic City Expressway Series", sponsored by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, is tied 3-3.
Canadian American League Stories from June 28, 2003
- Ambassadors Blow Game in Ninth, Lose 9-6 to Spirit - Allentown Ambassadors
- Surf Top Pats in 11 Innings - Atlantic City Surf
- Black Bears Quiet As Pioneer Stroll 3-0 - Berkshire Black Bears
- Bangor Inks Rookie Pitcher - Bangor Lumberjacks
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