Tornadoes Hold off AirHogs 7-6
June 25, 2012 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
The Tornadoes jumped out to a 7-2 lead after five innings of their first ever interleague game but things looked bleak in the top of the seventh. The Grand Prairie AirHogs put the first six runners on base and had cut the deficit to a single run with runners on first and second and no outs.
A key double play and some clutch pitching from three relievers preserved the win as the Worcester Tornadoes defeated the AirHogs 7-6 in the Tornadoes first game against an American Association team this season.
Nick Salotti finished 2-for-3 with a 3-run homer that proved to be the difference in the game and center fielder Jerod Edmondson went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run and an RBI. But it was Brandon Pinckney who put the AirHogs away. The veteran second baseman put the Tornadoes ahead for a good with a home run in the third inning and started two double plays to help Worcester defeat the defending champions of the American Association.
Phil Negus earned his first victory in a Tornadoes uniform, throwing six innings of four-run ball, to keep the AirHogs in check. Negus struck out four and allowed seven hits and two walks.
Mike Gedman and Nick Serino had huge shutdown innings for the Tornadoes, while Bryan Leigh made his first appearance with the Tornadoes. Gedman retired all five batters he faced in the seventh and eight, recording six outs in the process including a strikeout. Serino came on for the safe and retired the AirHogs in order in the ninth inning.
Grand Prairie jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the third straight time a Tornadoes opponent had scored in the first inning. Former major leaguer Brian Myrow doubled down the left field line with two outs and came in to score when Brian Myrow turned on a pitch and crushed it off the right-field scoreboard to make it 2-0.
Worcester responded swiftly, with a single run in each of the next three innings. Alex Nunez had an infield single to lead off the first and came around to score two batters later on an Edmondson double that found its way into the left-field corner.
The Tornadoes continued to attack Grand Prairie starter Nick DeBarr in the second and the third with solo home runs to left field from Tony Patane (number two) and Brandon Pinckney (number three). Both right-handers crushed the DeBarr pitches to almost the same spot in left-center field.
Salotti and the rest of the Tornadoes continued to pummel DeBarr in the fifth. Edmondson singled with one out and advanced to third on a hit-and-run, where Chris Torres hit the ball just out of the second baseman's reach. Alex Trezza followed with a ground-rule double to right that scored Edmondson and Trezza and Torres walked home six pitches later on a Salotti home run. Salotti crushed a line drive home run over the left field fence.
DeBarr managed to record the third out of the inning but that would be it for Grand Prairie. The AirHogs ace took just his second loss of the season, allowing 10 hits and seven earned runs.
Grand Prairie made a ball game of it with a rapid rally in the seventh inning. The AirHogs recorded back-to-back hits to start the inning to cut the deficit to 7-3 and end Negus' outing. Leigh came on but was unable to record an out, as Grand Prairie made it a 7-5 game over the next three batters.
Gedman came on in relief of Leigh and allowed a single to Myrow, before recording six straight outs. Greg Porter lined a hard-drive towards second base that Pinckney grabbed and dashed over to second base to double off Bryan Frichter. Chris McMurray popped out to end the inning and the Tornadoes cruised from there.
The Tornadoes and AirHogs will play game number two of their series Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. with Zach Zuercher getting the start. You can check out the Tornadoes PreGame Live show at 6:50 with Davis VanOpdorp.
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