Wild Seventh Costs AirHogs Sweep

Published on August 7, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


LINCOLN, Neb. -- Last Sunday, the Grand Prairie AirHogs got a run off the Lincoln Saltdogs' closer P.J. Zocchi on a bases-loaded walk to help complete a comeback win at QuikTrip Park. This Sunday, it was the Saltdogs doing it to AirHogs closer Jon Hunton, as he walked four in the bottom of the seventh inning, including the game-winning free pass to Rafael Alvarez, as Lincoln came back to beat Grand Prairie 5-4 to avoid a sweep at Haymarket Park.

This contest was scheduled for seven innings after the teams finished Saturday's suspended game earlier in the day.

The game also saw Stephen Douglas's league-record 34-game hitting streak come to an end, as he grounded out productively in his first at-bat and then walked each of his next three times up.

Each team got a run in the first inning, as Cesar Nicolas singled in Danny Figueroa to put the AirHogs (50-29) on the board, and Phil Hawke's RBI groundout tied things in the bottom of the inning.

After neither team threatened in the second, Grand Prairie jumped back in front in the third against spot starter Nick Schreiber. Douglas led off with a walk, and went to third on David Espinosa's double to right. Second baseman Brandon Jones then tried to throw to third to get Douglas who rounded the bag, but his throw went wide and Douglas scored. The next two AirHogs were retired, but John Alonso launched his second home run of the day and eighth of the season to give make it 4-1.

Paul Koss and Garrett Sherrill (1-1) held Grand Prairie off the board for the final four innings, while Brownell worked around trouble from the third inning on. The righty survived two walks in the third by striking out the side, and gave up a pair in the fourth (one earned) but stranded two runners in scoring position with one out. In the fifth, Brownell pitched around a one-out double and he worked around a one-out single and two-out balk in the sixth.

Overall, Brownell finished with five hits and three walk allowed, giving up three runs (two earned) while striking out seven in six innings.

Hunton (6-2) got Kurt Steinhauer to ground out to start the seventh inning, but he walked Gavin Dickey and Hawke to put the tying and winning runs aboard. Curt Smith singled to left-center to tie the game, and Hunton intentionally walked Jorge Cortes to bring up Alvarez. But Hunton threw four more out of the zone and Hawke trotted home to give the Saltdogs (39-40) the dramatic win.

Notes: This was the AirHogs' first game that was scheduled for or lasted for fewer than nine innings...Grand Prairie finished the year 6-3 against Lincoln...Each team left nine men on base. The AirHogs left 26 on in the three-game series, while the Saltdogs left 25...Grand Prairie scored in two of their seven innings but had at least one baserunner in all of them...Lincoln pitching walked six and hit two while the AirHogs walked six.

~~~~~ ~~~~~

The AirHogs next head to Kansas City to start a four-game series with the T-Bones, starting at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, August 8. The next AirHogs home game at QuikTrip Park is Friday, August 12, for Faith and Family Night presented by KLTY Radio, featuring a postgame concert and testimonies of praise from former and current athletes. The game begins at 6:05 p.m. All games are available with live, free streaming video on ustream.tv. Individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling 972-504-9383 or by visiting www.airhogsbaseball.com

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from August 7, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central