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WhiteWings Drop Opening Game of Playoffs, 8-7

September 4, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


HARLINGEN- Tim Battle and Wilmer Pino threw Rio Grande Valley's Roberto Rodriguez out at the plate to prevent the tying run from scoring in the eighth inning and new Edinburg closer Paul Koss retired the WhiteWings in order in the bottom of the ninth inning to save an 8-7 Roadrunners victory in the first game of the first round of United Division playoffs.

Down 8-3 on Tuesday night heading to the bottom of the eighth against winning pitcher Miguel Martinez, the WhiteWings rallied in the bottom of the for four runs. Leivi Ventura tripled to right with one out, then scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield from Alex Ruiz.

But the WhiteWings then rallied off the tiring starter with hits from Welinson Baez and Mario Mercedes, and walks from Nestor Castillo and Rodriguez to load the bases and make the score 8-5 Edinburg.

Rio Grande Valley manager Eddie Dennis then asked Robert Moron to pinch hit for ninth place hitter Jacinto Cipriota against new relief pitcher Billy Petrick. The lefthanded Moron then doubled down the first base line off the righthanded Petrick, plating two runs before right fielder Battle and second baseman Pino were able to nab the speedy Rodriguez at the plate and preserve the Edinburg lead.

"I got the ball as quick as I could. Just got the ball and chunked it," said Battle, who fielded the ball near the right field wall at Harlingen Field.

Rio Grande Valley was in need of a comeback after their ace starter, Celson Polanco, was touched for seven runs, four earned, and nine hits in a four-inning stint, his shortest of the season. The 12-game winner, second most in WhiteWings history, began the game by allowing a long double to Vincent Blue and then a home run to Joe Weik in the first inning and was touched for four more runs in the third.

In that frame, after Pino doubled in Blue to make the score 3-1 Edinburg, Polanco got Derek Perren to hit a sharp ground ball to Baez at first base.

But Baez's throw to Polanco at first base was behind the pitcher, and Pino scored from second base on the error. Stantrel Smith and Felix Molina followed with singles, and the Roadrunners had a comfortable 6-1 lead after two and a half innings.

The second game of the best-of-three playoff series will be played Wednesday night at Edinburg at 7:05 p.m. Luis Noel (8-3) gets the must-win start for Rio Grande Valley against former Mexican Leaguer Jose Pablo Oyervidez (2-0).

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