By Lonnie Turner
Corbin Wethington’s ground out in the bottom of the first inning sent Hunter Lane home with the eventual winning run as the Dillon Family Dental Giants edged the Dillon Meat Center Reds 2-1 on Friday night and both teams find themselves tied at the top of the Major League standings in the second half of the season.
The James Lockemy Rangers, winners of the first half, were beaten by the Internal Medicine Hurricanes in another close one Friday and drop to 0-4 in the second half. The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Barnes Causey reached first on an error and scored on a fielder’s choice by Collin Hamilton and after the Giants tacked on their two runs in their half of the first, Nick Evans and Noah Henderson hooked up in another classic pitcher’s duel. A week ago, Henderson threw a near perfect game, but Evans had the better hand in this game striking out eleven, walking three and hitting one batter while not allowing a hit. Henderson, on the other hand allowed one hit, struck out eight, walked one and hit a batter.
In the Hurricanes victory over the Rangers, Jackson Hayes hit a screaming shot over the opposite field fence on the heels of a lead-off double by Jared Darmon to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning and Darmon took to the mound in the sixth to retire the Rangers in order to get the win. Hayes also drove in the first run of the game for the winners with a double in the first inning. Ryan Stephens singled in the second with Dee Brown on base to go up 2-0, but a two run double by Kobe King with two out tied the game in the fourth inning. Brown also had two hits for the Hurricanes and in addition to King’s double, Cooper Schilsky, Tristian Brigman and John Rourke all had singles for the Rangers. Hayes worked the final two innings to get the win for the Hurricanes and Rourke was tagged with the loss. After six weeks, behind the Giants and the Reds, are the Hurricanes (2-2) and the Rangers (0-4).
In the Minor League, the Physicians Healthcare Pirates (3-1) kept pace with the Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays (3-1) by stopping the True Value Tigers, 5-1, in Friday’s first game. Noah Carter continues to lead the Pirates after coming back from an early injury. He had two hits and a run-batted-in in his lead-off position and Nathan Hyler and Josh Brown added RBI triples. The only other hit for the Pirates was a single by Joey “Cadillac” Hunt. Carter pitched the first five innings and didn’t allow a hit. He struck out 13 and walked only three. Josh Brown came into the game to pitch the sixth inning and set the Tigers down in order to save the no-hitter for Carter.
On Thursday, the Reds edged the Hurricanes, 4-3, after the Canes fought from two runs down to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning at 2 runs apiece. Collin Hamilton drove in the winning run in the top of he fifth with a ground out with one out. In the bottom of the inning, Ryan Stephens singled and scored when Dray Thompson grounded out. After Jered Darmon reached base on an error, Hunter Pittman retired the final two batters on strikes to end the game.
In the Minors on Thursday, Reggie Graves hit a walk-off two-run double in the last at-bat for the True Value Tigers to edge the McLeod Health Marlins, 7-6. Both runners on base were there as results of bases on balls. The Tigers had only one other hit, which was a lead-off single by Mari Huggins to start the final inning, but he was thrown out at second trying to stretch the single to a double. The Tigers used five pitchers and P.J. Christian, the last to take the mound was declared the winner.
Minor League
Tuesday, May 21
PHC Pirates 12, Burger King Braves 3
Josh Brown hit and pitched his Pirates to a 12-3 victory over the Braves on Tuesday. He led the Pirates with two hits in two official times at bat and allowed the Braves only one hit through three innings on the mound. Andrew Clewis had a two-run single and Justice Ladson singled for the winners. In a losing cause Gage Hunt and Andrew Chestnut singled for the Tigers.
McLeod Health Marlins 8, Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays 7
Quentin Hunt singled in the bottom of the fifth inning to drive Jordan Mew home with the winning run to knock the Blue Jays from the ranks of the unbeaten in the second half with an 8-7 win. Hunt led the Marlins with three hits and Trent Johnson, who was the winning pitcher, had an RBI double and single in two official times at bat. A trio of Marlins had RBI singles, including Knox Jackson, Chandler Pittman and D-Mac Wilson and Jordan Mew added a single in the 9-hit performance. Kris Hunt took the loss for the Blue Jays and Caleb Boykin was perfect with his bat with three hits in as many times at the plate. Kyle Rowell also had a multi-hit performance for the Jays rapping a two-run two-bagger and an RBI single. Others with hits in a losing cause were Bo-Bo McKinnon (single) and Charlie Nash Collins (single, RBI).
