South Bend SilverHawks at Lansing Lugnuts
April 19th, 2004
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E-Reynolds, Rose, LOB SB-4, LAN-5, 2B-Cook, Fitzgerald, Dopirak, SACB-Garcia, SACF-Montero, Collins, SB-Rojas
WP-Marshall, PB-Rose 2
U-Cory Blaser, Greg Tucker
T-2:12, A-1,892
South Bend Tribune
South Bend's Miguel Montero made good use of his only plate appearance Monday night.
Montero's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning scored Jeff Cook with the game winner, lifting the South Bend Silver Hawks to a 2-1 victory over Lansing.
After losing the series opener to the Lugnuts Friday night, South Bend (9-2) rebounded to win three straight one run contests to open up a three game lead in the Midwest League Eastern Divison.
Trailing 1-0, the Hawks evened the game in the fifth inning when Lino Garcia reached on a bunt single, went to second on an RBI single from Michael Goss.
Cook opened up the 10th inning with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Garcia to set up Montrero's heroics.
Billy Biggs (1-0) allowed just one hit and fanned two in his two inning stint, while Aric LeClair earned his first save by retiring the Lugnuts in order in the bottom of the 10th.
South Bend starter William Juarez scattered five hits nad struck out five over seven innings.
Edgar Varlera, Cook and Garcia had two hits apiece for the Hawks.
Lansing State Journal
by Mark Feather
Close doesn't count in the standings, but the Lansing Lugnuts couldn't have come much closer to victory in a 2-1 loss to South Bend in 10 innings on Monday.
In the bottom of the ninth inning in a 1-1 game, Lansing first baseman Brian Dopirak took South Bend reliever Billy Biggs' second pitcher deep to left field for what was originally signaled as a home run.
But the call was reversed and Dopirak awarded a double because of a rule interpretation of Oldsmobile Park.
"I thought the ball hit the grass and came back," said Lansing manager Julio Gacia.
"But if the ball hits the outfield rail and comes back, then it's in play."
"That's what (the umpires) thought happend and for the most part they're usually right."
Doriak would disagree.
"I hit it hard enought the I thought it was gone," Dopirak said, "The base ump was signaling home run and I came all the way home."
Dopriak finished the game 2 for 4 with both hits for doubles in an unconventional way. His foruth inning hit to the oufield fense got lodged between the padding on the wall.
"It was strange, but also disappointing." said Dopirak, who's watched his team lose three of it's last five games in extra inning.
"You always want a double, but you want the win more. The loss, that's what hurts. Sean Marshall pitched a great game and the guys played some really good defense."
The Lugnuts are now three games behind South Bend (9-2) in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.
Lansing (6-5) was tied with the Silver Hawks for the divisional lead after Friday's home opening win, but has surrendered three straight since.
An excellent outing for Marshall, Lansing 6 for 6 left hander, ended in a no decision. Marshall struck out nine batters and allowed six hits, no walks and one earned run in less than 85 pitches.
"I got a lot of first pitch strikes and that always helps", Marshall said.
I could have pitched the ninth, but I thought we'd turn it over to the bullpen and maybe get a change of luck."
A change of luck is exactly what Lansing got.
Lansing closer Adalberto Mendez (1-1) gave up a double to lead off the 10th inning after pitching a flawless ninth.
The double to South Bend's Jeff Cook turned into the game winning run after Silver Hawks second baseman Emilio Bonifacio bunted to advance the runner and Miguel Montero brought him home with a sacrifice fly.