Mariners Cruise to 5-2 Win Over Braves
With Pulaski holding onto a slim 1-0 lead heading into the seventh, Danville coughed up three errors in the frame that resulted in four unearned runs and gave the Mariners a controlling 5-0 lead that they would not relinquish. Danville produced two runs in the eight but it was too little-too late for the Braves, who dropped their fourth game in five tries.
Just a night after coming off their first shutout of the season in Saturday's 1-0 loss, the Danville bats were again hushed today-this time by the arm of Haas. The pitching matchup going into today's contest looked very favorable for the Braves. Danville sent their ace stud Casey Hodges to the mound to face Pulaski's Kyle Haas, who came into today's contest with a 0-2 record and a dire 10.59 ERA.
But it was Haas (1-2) who made the scene his today, throwing 6.0 innings of shutout ball on just two hits to record his first win of the season. Hodges (3-2) was the sufferer of the loss, although he hardly had a stat line to scoff at. The Rocky Mount, Va. native threw five innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run. He struck out six and gave free-passes to two.
Danville will drop to 18-15 on the season, while Pulaski will improve to 22-10. The Braves are now a season-high 4.5 games back of the Mariners.
For the fourth consecutive game, Danville's opponents got on the board first with a Guy Welsh single that brought in Jose Rivero in the top of the second inning to give Pulaski a 1-0 lead. Rivero had led off the inning with a walk and stole second.
After both teams' traded scoreless innings from the third through the sixth, Pulaski scored four unearned runs in the seventh thanks to some hapless fielding by Danville and some well-executed hitting by Pulaski. Guy Welsh doubled through the hole at shortstop to lead off the inning. Tommy Johnson hit a sac bunt to advance Welsh but the throw by firstbaseman Gerardo Rodriguez was over the head of pitcher Adam Bullard and Johnson scored on the play to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead. The next at-bat, George Soto hit a bunt back to Bullard but the pitcher airmailed the throw over Rodriguez's head that put two runners on. After a Deybis Benitez sac bunt out, Bullard intentionally walked Blake Trinkler to load the bases. Mario Martinez would make Bullard pay-ripping a single to center field that scored one and extended the lead to 3-0. Juan Fuentes would cap off the frame with a hard-hit single to right field that brought in Soto and Trinkler to push the lead to 5-0.
In the eighth inning, Danville put up two runs on four hits. For Danville, the two runs marked their first runs in their last 18 innings. Joel Campusano led off the inning to deep center field. After a Chris Shehan strikeout, Gerardo Rodriguez ripped a double to center field that plated Campusano and made the game 5-1, Pulaski. Jon Gilmore would keep the rally going on the next at-bat, lining a single up the middle that scored Rodriguez and made the game, 5-2. But Matt Kennelly would pop out in foul territory and Jesus Sucre would ground into a force out to end the Danville threat.
Danville is now just 16-for-100 (.160) at the plate in its last three games.
These two teams will battle again Monday night at Dan Daniel Park at 7 p.m.
On Monday, Danville will kick off a monster night of festivities as they celebrate Faith Night & CVS Extra-Card Night on Monday! D-Braves fans can bring in their CVS Extra Card and get $2.00 off all general admission tickets. Also, there will be a live performance from Christian Band "Brothers under the Son" when the gate opens at 6! D-Braves Baseball Camp Attendants can get in Monday's game for free and hot dogs will be sold for only $1.00. Game time starts at 7 p.m. on Monday.
Don't forget that Tuesday the D-Braves will be celebrating "Two for Tuesday" at the ballpark vs. the Pulaski Mariners. The Braves will be selling two general admission tickets, two hot dogs and two fountain drinks all for just the price of one! Don't' miss a great chance to save money and watch your hometown Danville Braves on Tuesday night! Game time starts at 7 p.m.