WhiteWings' Santana blows save for first time

Published on August 3, 2009 under United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


Harlingen - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings closer Julio Santana (0-1) picked up his first blown save of the season by giving up two runs in the eighth inning to lose to the Amarillo Dillas 4-2 tonight at Harlingen Field.

Up 2-1 after seven innings, the WhiteWings (23-29) asked Santana to record the final six outs. Santana had gone two innings three times this season, twice to pick up saves. This time, however, Willie James led off with a single and Eric Brown followed with an RBI-triple to center field. Centerfielder Casey Allen threw the ball into shortstop Joaquin Rodriguez, who made a wild relay throw to allow Brown to score to make it 3-2 Dillas.

In 16 outings entering tonight, Santana had allowed a single run three times but never more than one run. Additionally, he had never allowed more than two hits, but today he allowed five. Santana hadn't allowed a run since July 15, a span of 6.2 innings over the course of six outings. Santana had picked up saves in eight consecutive outings.

That made a winner of Andy Noonan (2-1), who pitched the final 2.2 innings, striking out three.

The Dillas (29-23) added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Trent Lockwood led off with a double against Santana. Two outs later, James singled to make it 4-2.

The Dillas scored first for the fourth-straight game. Anthony Bennett led off the third with a double and scored on a two-out single by Carlos Figueroa against Jesus Sanchez to make it 1-0.

The WhiteWings tied it up against Taylor Allen in the bottom of the inning. Agustin Septimo led off with a nine-pitch walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out single by Brian Nichols to make it 1-1.

That was it against Sanchez, who struck out six in seven innings while scattering six hits.

The WhiteWings took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Sandy DeLeon led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. One out later, Septimo and Joaquin Rodriguez hit back-to-back singles to make it 2-1 and knock Allen out of the game.

In 6.1 innings, Allen allowed two runs on seven hits while walk two and striking out seven.

The WhiteWings travel to Fairgrounds Field in Robstown for the first time this season for game one of a four-game series tomorrow night at 7:05 against the Coastal Bend Thunder. Right-hander Sendy Vasquez (1-4) is expected to face right-hander Alejandro Martinez (1-1). The WhiteWings took three out of four from the Thunder in the opening series of the year at Harlingen Field and have not seen them since.

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United League Baseball Stories from August 3, 2009


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