06/24/06
O-Tigers scratch back, 8-5
De Leon double highlights four-run third in home win
2006 O-TIGERS
By P.J. Harmer
Staff Writer
ONEONTA — Santo De Leon helped the Oneonta
| | | Star photo by Julie Lewis
Oneonta Tigers second baseman Louis Ott throws to first to complete a double play in the third inning of Friday’s New York-Penn League game at Damaschke Field. Lowell’s Zach Daeges is forced out at second on the play, which started with a Jonathan Still grounder to O-Tigers third baseman Ronald Bourquin. |
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Tigers push back Friday night.
De Leon’s two-run double in the bottom of the third inning helped the Tigers rally for four runs en route to an 8-5 New York-Penn League victory over the Lowell Spinners in front of 324 at Damaschke Field.
The Tigers had fallen behind, 3-0, in the top of the third, but Oneonta scored four in the bottom half to take a one-run lead.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]"I just wanted to show them that we can score runs at any time," De Leon said through an interpreter. "Even when we’re three behind."
The Tigers improved to 3-1, good for first place in the Stedler Division. Lowell (2-2) dropped into a second-place tie with Tri-City, which lost two of three against the O-Tigers earlier this week.
The Spinners and O-Tigers meet again at 7 p.m. Saturday. Oneonta’ Zach Piccola will face Ryne Lawson. The two teams finish their three-game set at 6 p.m. Sunday. Oneonta’s Matt O’Brien will oppose Mario Pena.
"It could have been a little easier," O-Tigers manager Tom Brookens said. "We drop two four-run innings on them and felt we held on to win. I don’t care for that, but it’s a win."
Casey Fien (1-0) earned the victory, pitching three innings in relief of starter Tom Thornton. Fien allowed no runs on three hits and struck out two.
Thornton allowed three runs — one earned — in his professional debut. He gave up three hits and struck out one.
After Lowell took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning, Oneonta rallied in the bottom half.
Scott Sizemore and Joe Tucker had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, putting runners on first and third. Lowell pitcher Jeff Farrell then threw a wild pitch, allowing Sizemore to score and Tucker to move to second.
Farrell got Brennan Boesch to fly out for the first out. After Tucker stole third, Casper Wells struck out. Farrell then walked Ronnie Bourquin and hit Jordan Newton to load the bases.
De Leon doubled to left field, scoring Tucker and Bourquin to tie the score at 3. Lowell left fielder Zach Daeges bobbled the ball on the wet grass, allowing Newton to score from first.
Daeges hit shortstop Luis Segovia with his relay throw, but Segovia’s throw to the plate flew over catcher Luis Exposito. Farrell, who backed up the throw to the plate, caught the overthrow on the fly and threw to third baseman Jorge Jimenez. He tagged De Leon for the final out as he slid into third.
"I was just trying to see the ball and hit a line drive," said De Leon, who finished 3-for-4. "It was a changeup and I felt good after I hit it. I sat back, hit it and hit it hard."
Oneonta tagged reliever Ting-Jen Yeh for four more runs in the fourth. Louis Ott and Angel Reyes each singled to put runners on first and second. Sizemore followed with a triple into the left-center gap for a 6-3 lead.
"He got me down and I was just looking to drive it," said Sizemore, who had a 1-2 count. "I got it to the gap and this park is huge."
Tucker then doubled to right-center, scoring Sizemore. Tucker moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Yeh got Brennan Boesch to ground out to second.
Yeh got into a little more trouble after he got Wells to fly out to center. Bourquin singled and Newton walked, but De Leon flew out to center to end the inning.
Lowell scored two in the seventh inning, taking advantage of an error. After Randor Bierd struck out Jeffrey Vincent and Jimenez to start the inning, Segovia singled and took second on a wild pitch. Mike Chambers hit a hard shot that went between third baseman Bourquin’s legs, scoring Segovia. Daeges then doubled to left-center, scoring Chambers for the final margin.
Chris Krawczyk pitched a scoreless eighth and Brett Jensen a perfect ninth to earn his second save.
The Spinners scored three in the third.
With one out and runners on first and second, Chambers hit a ball that went between the legs of second baseman Ott, allowing a run to score.
Another Lowell run scored on a passed ball, and Daeges followed with an RBI single.
"I think we have a good offensive club, but defense we’re going to have to work on," Brookens said. "But that’s my job. I’m an infielder and I work with them. I’m looking forward to that challenge."
