Watts Electric as Silver Hawks Stun Lugnuts
May 25, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release
Daniel Watts threw seven innings of two-hit scoreless baseball as the South Bend Silver Hawks came home and extended their winning streak to six games with a 7-0 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts. Center fielder Breland Almadova led the offense with two runs scored and two stolen bases while designated hitter Brandon Drury drove home Almadova both times en route to the win on Saturday night.
South Bend (30-16) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Almadova walked with one out to get the rally started. With two outs, Almadova stole second base and continued around to third on a throwing error by the Lansing catcher. Drury drove in Almadova for the first run of the game with a line drive single to center.
The Midwest League Eastern Division-leading Silver Hawks stretched their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Third baseman Carter Bell walked with one out and went to third on a double by first baseman Rudy Flores. On catcher Steven Rodriguez's ground ball to first baseman Kellen Sweeney, Sweeney fired home trying to catch Bell, who beat the errant throw. As the ball rolled to the backstop, Flores also came around to score.
Lansing (21-24) could not manage to get anything going on offense against Watts (7-1), who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Shortstop Jorge Flores broke up the no-hitter with a one out single to left field. The only Lugnut to reach scoring position against Watts was third baseman Gustavo Pierre who flared a double to right field with two outs in the seventh inning. Right fielder Carlos Ramirez grounded out to the first baseman to end the only scoring threat of the night by Lansing, the Class-A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
South Bend, the Class-A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 5-0. Griffin Murphy entered the game in relief of starting pitcher Javier Avendano (4-3) to start the inning. Almadova walked to lead off the inning. Right fielder Socrates Brito drove a high fly ball to the warning track in right center that was tracked down by the Lugnuts outfield for the first out of the inning. Almadova then stole second base and scored on Drury's double. Left fielder Alex Glenn beat out an infield single to first that moved Drury to third. Drury came around to score on Bell's sacrifice fly to center.
The Hawks scored the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Almadova led off the inning with a single to right field. After Brito hit into a force play at second base and Drury flew out to right field, Brito stole second base. Glenn than grounded a single through the right side that scored Brito. Glenn advanced all the way to third on the play when the throw from the right fielder sailed over the catcher's head. Justin Jackson, a converted shortstop, entered the game to pitch for the Lugnuts and promptly threw a wild pitch that scored Glenn from third.
The Hawks bullpen closed out the game in the final two innings. JR Bradley threw a perfect eighth inning and Will Locante struck out two in a perfect ninth to preserve the shutout, snapping the Lugnuts eight-game winning streak.
The Hawks and Lugnuts continue the Memorial Day weekend series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is at 2:05pm. Brandon Sinnery (1-2, 2.25 ERA) is slated to start for the Silver Hawks while Lansing will send Alonzo Gonzalez (2-3, 5.62 ERA) to the hill. It is a Family Day at Coveleski Regional Stadium with a pre-game catch on the field and a post-game autograph session. Arrive early as the first 500 fans 18 or older will receive a free Silver Hawks t-shirt.
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