WhiteWings Fall to Roadrunners in 12 Innings

July 22, 2010 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


EDINBURG - The Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings blew leads of 4-0 after the top of the second, 6-4 after the top of the ninth and 7-6 after the top of the 12th in an 8-7 loss to the Edinburg Roadrunners Thursday at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

The WhiteWings (20-32) jumped on Wardell Starling right away. Javis Diaz got hit by the first pitch of the game and stole second. Two outs later, Luany Sanchez hit an RBI-single and moved to second on the throw. Welington Dotel followed with an RBI-single to make it 2-0.

Welinson Baez led off the top of the second with a single and scored on an RBI-double by Roberto Rodriguez. A groundout moved Rodriguez to third and, one batter later, Yeurys Tejeda hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.

The Roadrunners (31-19) tied the game against Andres Rosales in the bottom of the second. With one out, Robert Matlock drew a four-pitch walk and stole second. Carlos Hereaud followed with an RBI-single. One out later, Alexis Hernandez reached on an infield single and Albert Gonzalez did the same, allowing Hereaud to score. After Wilmer Pino singled to load the bases, Felix Molina hit a two-run single to cap the inning with the score 4-4.

A pitcher's duel broke out after that, as WhiteWings pitching faced the minimum in the next five innings (in addition to the first inning). Rosales last six and one-third innings, scattering six hits and two walks while striking out five.

Starling settled down as well, retiring 12-straight batters before allowing a hit with one out in the sixth. Starling recorded his first eighth inning outs of the season by retiring the first two batters he faced, but Eric Gonzlaez reached on an infield-single and Baez singled. A wild pitched moved the runners up one base and a passed ball scored Gonzlaez to make it 5-4 WhiteWings.

Tejeda added an insurance run in the top of the ninth against Ricardo Serrano with his sixth home run of the season.

Carlos Artiles allowed a two-run game tying double to pinch-hitter Melvin Perez with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

The WhiteWings put runners at first and third with two outs in the top of the 12th against Aaron Guerra (3-1) and Rodriguez hit an RBI-single to give the WhiteWings a 7-6 lead.

Deybi de la Cruz (0-2) struck out Wilson Batista to start the bottom of the 12th, but uncorked a wild pitch on strike three, allowing Batista to reached. After Ambiorix Concepcion singled, Matlock laid down a sacrifice bunt, leading to an intentional walk of Hereaud. Vincent Blue hit an RBI-groundout and Osiel Flores hit a walk-off single to end the game.

The WhiteWings and Roadrunners play game two of this five-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Justin Phillips (0-0) is expected to face right-hander Tim Haines (4-4).



United League Baseball Stories from July 22, 2010


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