Walk Off Slam Seals Win For Tornadoes
August 11, 2009 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
WORCESTER, MA--- After a two hour and twenty-seven minute rain delay, most of the 2,090 fans in attendance had left Hanover Insurance Park. Most fans missed perhaps one of the greatest finishes in Tornadoes baseball history. Alex Pena crushed a grand slam deep into the Worcester night with none out in the bottom of the ninth against the Capitales closer to get the 10-7 victory.
It was a wacky game early on with both starting pitchers, Jusef Frias of Worcester and Michel Simard of Quebec, struggling to get pitches in the strike zone. Frias had given up six runs, four earned and walked three while Simard surrendered four and walked two. Both pitchers were taken out of the game after the rain delay with the score 6-4, Caps.
Worcester rallied in the bottom of the fifth against the new pitcher Brett Palanski to knot the score at six; that is until Nick Conway gave up the go-ahead seventh run in the seventh. Two innings and a combined five relief pitchers later (including Tornado starter Ryan Lobban) the score was the same in the bottom of the ninth. After a walk to Vinny Pennell and a ground-rule double from Carlos Sosa, closer Jason Schutt (3-5) walked clean-up hitter Nick Salotti intentionally to face DH Alex Pena and the rest was history. With the dramatic victory, Worcester pulls even with Quebec for first place in the CanAm second half.
The win went to Eddie Pena who tossed a scoreless ninth. The loss and blown save both belong to Schutt, his second and third respectively against the Tornadoes in 2009.
Tomorrow night, Worcester will try to clinch a series victory at 7:05 against Quebec. Ryan Quinn (0-2) for the home team will face fellow rookie James Kakucka (0-0).
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