Texas Winter League Update

February 26, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


Chris Phelan both pitched complete game victories in which they both did not allow an earned run to respectfully put the McAllen Thunder and Edinburg Roadrunners in the championship game of the Texas Winter League Tuesday afternoon at Harlingen Field.

Phelan, a 22-year-old right-hander with exceptional control, threw a six hit shutout to halt the Thunder's 10-game winless streak beat the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings, 3-0.

Brummett, meanwhile, threw a four-hitter and struck out six to beat the Brownsville Stars, 4-2.

In the first game, Phelan and the WhiteWings (10-6-2) Erik Sheridan engaged in a classic pitchers duel. Sheridan retired 14 of 15 batters from the first to the fifth innings while Phelan never allowed more than one runner to reach base in any inning but the fourth, when the WhiteWings loaded the bases with one out on an error and hits by Jose DeLeon and Jacob Douglas.

But Phelan (1-2) was able to strike out Brian Williams on three pitches, then got Brandon Merrill to fly to right field to end the threat.

Two innings later the Thunder (5-11-2), who to that point had been held to only one hit, scored three times. After Albert Carpen and Todd Alls drew walks from Sheridan (2-1) and advanced to third and second base on a wild pitch, Tomachika Tsuboi hit a hard ground ball through the box to plate Carpen. Allen game home on a Leo Madrid single to right, and Tsuboi scored the game's final run when he snuck home on Sheridan's throw to first base to retire Jeff Allen after the Thunder catcher laid down a safety squeeze.

Phelan, a Long Island native who starred at NAIA Farmingdale State, overcame a broken foot suffered last year to strike out six and walk only one in his shutout.

"Phelan is the best example of what a pitcher should be," said Thunder manager Greg Tagert. "The fastest he probably throws is 87 miles per hour but he can throw all his pitches for strikes when he needs to.

For the Texas Winter League season, Phelan struck out 32 batters in 27 innings and walked only one hitter. He has the league's lowest earned run average, 1.67.

"Just gotta keep 'em guessing and get ground balls," said Phelan when asked about the key to his success. "Don't walk anybody. Go right at them."

The victory broke a 10 game winless streak for the Thunder dating back to Feb. 13.

ROADRUNNERS 4, STARS 2

On opening day Roadrunners manager Brooks Carey selected 23-year-old right-hander Selby Brummett to be his starting pitcher because of his experience as a pitcher for the University of New Mexico.

The problem was Brummett was not a good pitcher for the Lobos, going 0-2 in six games with a 14.46 earned run average last season.

But Carey's faith paid off, and in Tuesday afternoon's second playoff game Brummett (2-2) beat the Stars, 4-2, striking out six and walking three.

"I've been staying down in the zone with my fastball. At New Mexico I got it too much up in the zone," Brummett said.

Brummett fell behind early, 2-0, when Alex Foltz collected a one out single after the Stars (7-8-3) loaded the bases on a walk and two errors committed by the Roadrunners' infield. But Brummett's 6-4 frame then came into play when he was able to reach high to capture a comebacker hit by Justin Juneau and turn a double play.

The Roadrunners (10-7-1) were also able to capitalize on mistakes. Tsuyoshi Takashima scored in the bottom of the third on a Jimmy Williams single after reaching on an error by Keigo Miyagi, and Mike Mobbs tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when he stole third base and Stars' catcher Nick Lancisi's throw went into left field.

The Roadrunners then won the game in the bottom of the sixth off Cole Stephens (1-3) when Ginjiro Fujiwara reached on an infield single to third and Mobbs took advantage of a gap in right center by placing an extra base hit there for the only earned run of the game. Vince Coleman Jr. then reached on an error by shortstop David Sweeding which allowed Mobbs to score from second base.

The seventh inning was not without drama, however. An infield hit by Miyagi followed by a walk to Sean Gaughan and a Sweeding groundout put runners on second and third with two outs and left-handed hitting Austn Newell at the plate.

Carey came out to discuss the situation with a 1-0 count on Newell, and the decision was made to intentionally walk Newell and put the winning run on base to face right-handed hitting hitting Austin Fraker.

Fraker had won one game and tied another with two out, seventh inning hits. But in this situation he could only pop up a Brummett curve ball to second baseman Jimmy Williams, who secured the fly in the outfield grass to send Edinburg into the championship game.

"Brooks said we should put him on. We just felt we had a better match-up with a right-handed hitter. That's why Brooks has been managing for so long," Brummett said.

Harlingen native Danny Gidora (1-0) will pitch for the WhiteWings in the consolation game Wednesday against Steve Nikonchik (2-0) at 11 a.m., while the Thunder's Justin Klipp (2-0) will pitch against Aryo Fleming of the Roadrunners for the first TWL championship in the nightcap at approximately 2 p.m.



United League Baseball Stories from February 26, 2013


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