SWB Yankees Start Second Half With A Bang

Published on July 15, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees started the second half of the season with a bang Thursday night, scoring nine runs in the first inning against the Toledo Mud Hens en route to a 12-5 victory.

Toledo starting pitcher Billy Buckner retired the first two Yankees, but would struggle while attempting to get the third out.

Eduardo Nunez started the Yankees' rally with an infield single, just beating out the throw from Mud Hens shortstop Brent Dlugach.

After a single by Juan Miranda and a Jesus Montero walk loaded the bases, Jorge Vazquez doubled down the left-field line to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.

Reegie Corona followed with a double of his own, lining a 2-1 pitch into right field to score two more runs.

Eric Bruntlett then singled home Corona and moved to third after a wild throw by Dlugach on a Greg Golson single.

A walk to Reid Gorecki then reloaded the bases for Chad Tracy.

Buckner got two quick strikes on the Yankees third baseman, but Tracy would battle back to even out the count at 2-2.

Tracy then turned on a pitch a drove a line drive to right that hit off the right fielder's glove and fell in for a bases-clearing double, putting the Yankees up 8-1 and knocking Buckner out of the game.

Nunez finished the Yankees scoring that inning, lining a double to the wall in left that scored Tracy.

When all was said and done, the Yankees had sent 13 men to the plate in the inning. Eight of them reached via a hit and each batter in the lineup had scored a run.

"Right now, everything has been more easy because we're hitting. We're helping the pitchers to win the game," Jesus Montero said.

Sergio Mitre was the beneficiary of the big first inning, starting the game for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on a rehab assignment from New York.

The righty went three innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking none.

"Today he was throwing the ball really good," Montero said. "He had a very good sinker.

"He was really good today," he said.

Tim Redding, who was scheduled to start the game for the Yankees, relieved Mitre and continued to hold down a Mud Hens' offense that kept trying to chip away at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's lead.

Redding threw five innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and striking out five - good enough to pick up his fifth win of the year.

Montero added some extra insurance for the Yankees late in the game, pounding a fastball from Toledo reliever Fu-Te Ni over the wall in right for his eighth homerun of the year. Montero finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two runs driven in.

With Mitre starting the game, Montero surrendered his No. 45 that he had worn all year and instead donned a No. 21 jersey. After the game, the young catcher said that the number switch would be permanent for the rest of the year.

"I'm going to keep the number. I like this number," Montero said. "This was my favorite number from when I was a little kid. Sammy Sosa was my favorite.

"It gave me good luck today. I'm going to keep it and I hope I keep hitting like that," he said.

The teams meet for the second game of the four-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. Near-perfect game pitcher Armando Galarraga will get the start for Toledo, while Jason Hirsh will take the hill for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

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International League Stories from July 15, 2010


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