Lansing Lugnuts at Battle Creek Yankees
April 9th, 2004
| Lansing |
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0 |
1 |
0 |
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1 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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4 |
6 |
2 |
| Battle Creek |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
1 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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1 |
7 |
2 |
E-Chirinos, Rojas, Duncan, Made, LOB LAN-10, BC-8, 2B-Vasquez, Harris, HR-Collins (Beam), Fox (Beam), SACB-Chirinos, Vasquez, SB-Fitzgerald, Dopirak, McQuade, Rojas, Harris, CS-Kartler
BB-Duncan 2, Cabrera, SO-Kartler
A-1,135, T-2:48
Lansing State Journal
The Lansing Lugnuts escaped several threats by Battle Creek on Friday and came up with a 4-1 win. Jake Fox went 3 for 4, including a solo home run in the second inning, and Ronald Bay continued the Lugnuts' solid starting pitching by allowing one run on four hits in six innings of work.
Three other pitchers, including Adalberto Mendez who pitched a one hit ninth to earn his first save, threw the final three innings to preserve the victory.
The Lugnuts (2-0) saw their early lead grow to 2-0 in the fourth inning on a Kevin Collins line drive home run that cleared the left field fence. Collins' homer forced the Yankees starter, T.J. Beam out of the game despite giving uo three hits. Beam finished with eight strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
Battle Creek (0-2) did come as close as 2-1 in the sixth when Willie Vasqurz hit a double that scored John Urich. But Bay retired the next batter to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Battle Creek also had chances in the seventh and eighth to take the lead by stranded five runners combined in the two innings. The Lugnuts' offense created more breathing room scoring two runs in the ninth. The Lugnuts will go for a season opening series sweep at 2pm today at Battle Creek.
Battle Creek Enquirer
Howie Magner
They got their first run, but the Battle Creek Yankees are still looking for their first win of the 2004 season after Friday night's 4-1 loss to Lansing at C.O. Brown Stadium.
Lansing which shut out the Yankees 3-0 on four hits in Thursday's season opener, continued to frustrate Battle Creek's hitters. Through Willie Vasquez's sixth inning double drove home John Urick with the season's inaugural run. Battle Creek stranded eight runners on base while falling to 0-2.
"Yesterday they pretty much just beat us, but today we had our chances." said Battle Creek manager Mitch Seoane, who team cut its strikeout total from 12 on Thursday to six Friday, "It wasn't like yesterday when they were just mowing us down. I thought our at bats were a lot better today."
Lansing (2-0) had a couple of good at bats, too particulary from Jake Fox, and Kevin Collins. Both of them hit solo home runs off Yankee starter T.J. Beam, with Fox's second inning shot traveling some 400 feet to clear the 18 foot high center field fence, and Collins blasting one over the right field wall in the fourth.
Those were really the only two mistakes made by Beam (0-1). The 6 for 7 right hander struck out eight Lugnuts and left after the fourth inning with a line that included just one other hit and two walks.
"He just has to work a little harder to get the ball down. When he does that he's good." Seoane said. "He just got those pitches up and over the plate."
Lansing added two ninth inning insurance runs, one of them on Brian Dopirak's RBI single. But the Lugnuts didn't really need them because their pitchers consistanty worked their way out of trouble.
Lansing starter Ronald Bay, who gave up five hits and two walks over six innings, used two double plays to stop Yankee rallies. The Lugnuts turned a fine 3-6-1 twin killing in the third inning, then got another double dip in the sixth when the Yankees looked poised to tie the game.
Vasquez's one out double had already plated a Battle Creek run and a subsquent walk to Eric Duncan put runners at first and second for Erold Andrus. But Bay (1-0) got Andrus to bounce sharply to shortstop Carlos Rojas, who doubled to up Duncan and Andrus to end the inning.
Still trailing 2-1, Battle Creek put together another threat in the eighth against reliever Jermaine VanBuren. Melky Cabrera drew a leadoff walk, went to second on Vasquez's sacrifice bunt, and Duncan followed with another walk. Both runners moved up when Andrus nearly beat out a grounder to third base, but VanBuren stranded then there by striking out Bryce Kartler.
Lansing's Adalberto Mendez pitched the ninth inning for his first save.
"Just offensively we've got to get it going," said Seoane, who team tries to avoid a series sweep in today's 2 pm finale. "We'll come out tomorrow and hopefully get some hits when we need them."