Wizards Top Yankees in 10

Published on May 14, 2003 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays News Release


BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — The Battle Creek Yankees set franchise and stadium records for playing the "SpongeBob SquarePants" theme song — but it wasn't enough as the Yankees fell to the Fort Wayne Wizards 5-4 in 10 innings Wednesday afternoon in a Midwest League baseball game at C.O. Brown Stadium. The crowd of 1,728 — mostly elementary school students — was the largest home crowd of the season since the home opener. Game 3 of the four-game series is set for 6 p.m. Thursday.

The theme song from "SpongeBob SquarePants" — a popular and porous TV cartoon — was played 17 times, including twice in the middle of the ninth inning as the Yankees rallied to send the game into extra innings. (Team officials are checking to see if the 17 times is a Midwest League record as well.)

The Wizards used three walks to load the bases and then scored two runs on an error in the ninth inning to break a 2-2 tie and take a 4-2 lead. But the Yankees got a double from Gabe Lopez and a two-run homer from Joaquin Arias with one out in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4.

Fort Wayne scored in the top of the 10th on a walk, a sacrifice and an RBI single by single by Steve Baker to hand the Yankees their first extra-innings loss of the season. Matt Carson led off the bottom of the 10th for Battle Creek with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but two strikeouts ended the game.

The Yankees outhit the Wizards 11-6. Lopez, Arias, Carson, Willie Vasquez and Rudy Guillen had two hits each. Juan Camacho had the other hit.

Fort Wayne scored in the first inning, but Battle Creek scored in the bottom of the inning on a one-out double by Willie Vasquez, a single by Guillen, and a sacrifice fly by Carson for a 1-1 tie.

The Wizards went up 2-1 in the fifth. Tthe Yankees loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth — but scored just one run to tie the game. Vasquez led off with a double, Guillen singled and Carson walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Tommy Rojas laced a sacrifice fly for a 2-2 tie. A strikeout ended the inning.

Yankees starter Ray Clark pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out five. Charlie Isaacson and Matt Brumit (1-1) finished on the mound.

BATTLE CREEK vs. FORT WAYNE

Thu — RHP Jose Garcia (3-2, 1.98) vs. RHP Brian Whitaker (3-0, 2.34)
Fri — RHP Brandon Harmsen (1-2, 4.22) vs. RHP Luke Steidlmayer (0-4, 5.04)

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Midwest League Stories from May 14, 2003


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