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Wilson Cranks First Walk-Off Homer in Joes History

July 31, 2007 - South Coast League (SCL)
Anderson Joes News Release


In a 5-5 game in the bottom of the ninth inning against the league's best team, Desi Wilson hit the first walk-off home run in Anderson Joes history last night, sending a two-run blast over the right-field wall to give the Joes a 7-5 win over the South Georgia Peanuts on Tuesday.

A game that went tied 1-1 into the seventh inning saw late offensive explosions and bullpen meltdowns from both teams, none bigger than the Joes allowing three runs in the top of the ninth before Wilson's game-ending bomb in the bottom half.

Anderson took a 5-2 lead into the top of the ninth, handing the ball over to fireballing right-hander Joey Muro. Muro struck out the first batter of the inning but then dark times fell on the Joes- literally and figuratively.

For causes still unknown, the power at Anderson Memorial Stadium went completely out in the middle of a Steve Butler at-bat. The lights flickered back on five seconds later before going out again, this time for a 20-minute delay.

Once the lights came back on, Muro proceeded to walk Butler and two more batters in a row to load the bases before he left the game.

Reliever Blake Gailen then allowed an RBI single to Curtis Goodwin before new reliever Austin Redwine later allowed a two-run single to Doc Brooks.

With the game tied 5-5, Ja Jones entered to face Redwine hitting for himself, Rafael Alvarez and Wilson. Redwine struck out, but then Alvarez earned a walk.

Sitting on a 2-1 Jones fastball, Wilson destroyed a ball that bulleted off his bat and traveled an estimated 430 feet.

For Wilson, he now has two walk-off hits in his 10 games as a Joe, with Tuesday's home run joining his game-winning single in a 7-6 win over Charlotte County on July 19.

It was just the second win for Anderson (8-11, 21-43 overall) against South Georgia (13-5, 46-15) this season. The other came on June 26, a 6-5 victory that the Joes also won in a walk-off over the Peanuts.

The Joes as a whole now have five walk-off wins this season.

The victory snapped Anderson's personal five-game losing streak against South Georgia, while ending the Peanuts' six-game winning streak overall.

Redwine got the win to improve to 3-0, while Jones took the loss to drop to 1-1 in front of 859 fans in a 4-hour, 10-minute game.

Lost in the late-game theatrics were the starting pitchers. Joes ace Jan Granado and Peanuts newcomer Jerome Gamble dueled to almost identical lines: each allowed one run on three hits and four walks in six innings, only Gamble struck out 11 while Granado K'ed eight.

Tuesday's game followed Monday's 16-inning, 5-hour, 33-minute game that South Georgia won 4-2.

The teams will attempt to stage an encore to the first two games of the series with the rubber match Wednesday.

First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Probable starters are Shannon Wirth (8-1) for South Georgia and Dallas Mahan (1-0) for Anderson.

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