Bombers Pull Away Late to Take Opener

The Flying Chanclas de San Antonio could not muster enough offense as they dropped a 6-3 contest to the Brazos Valley Bombers in Game 1 of the TCL South Division Series Tuesday night at Wolff Stadium.

A season-high Wolff crowd of 2,001 was treated to a classic pitcher’s duel early on Tuesday. Austin Krob got the start for the Chanclas and lived up to his ace reputation. Krob was perfect through two, striking out a pair in the process. The TCU lefty allowed a walk in the third and a single in the fourth, however both times, the runners were canceled out on double plays. Krob breezed through the fifth.

His mound opponent, right-hander Bryce Miller, was also up to the task in Game 1. Miller, a Texas A&M hurler from New Braunfels, cruised through his four hitless innings during which he punched out five. Miller danced out of his only jam in the third when San Antonio stranded runners on second and third.

An offensive breakout finally came in the top of the sixth. Krob’s night ended after allowing consecutive singles to start the frame. His replacement, Johnny Panatex, fanned Austin Bost, but then walked leadoff man Kelby Weyler to load the bases. Panatex got a big break when he got Bryce Blaum to foul out to first for the second out. However, the sigh of relief was short-lived as Grayson Tatrow followed with a clutch two-run single.

San Antonio showed tremendous poise in answering in the bottom half against the Bombers bullpen. With two outs and Ryan Flores on first, Lee Thomas worked a walk against Zachary Griggs to keep the inning alive. Brazos Valley went to the pen again, replacing Griggs with fellow righty Zach Poe (1-0). That brought up Ian Bailey, who not only broke up the no-hit bid, but tied the game at two when he scored both Flores and Thomas with his double to left.

The game did not stay tied for long though, for in the seventh, Brazos Valley put together another rally against the San Antonio bullpen. With two on and just one out, Panatex (0-1) was lifted for Garrett Egli. The righty from Sam Houston State could not prevent the Bombers from extending the lead, walking both Logan Sartori to load the bases and then pinch-hitter Jeffrey David to give the visitors a 3-2 lead. Brazos Valley tacked on another run later in the frame with Weyler’s sacrifice fly off lefty Jaime Ramirez Jr.

After the Bombers added another run to take a 5-2 lead in the top of the eighth, the Chanclas answered in the bottom half, as Thomas stroked a single to right off Luke Baley that scored Jalen Battles. Bailey nearly had another game-tying magical moment when he followed with a deep fly to left. Unfortunately, for the Chanclas, Bailey got under it just a bit and Manny Garcia caught it a few feet before the warning track.

Brazos Valley capped scoring in the ninth on Blaum’s productive ground out to third. John Cheatwood closed it out in the ninth for the save.

Game 2 of the TCL South Division Series will take place Wednesday night at Travis Field in Bryan, TX. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Righty Marcelo Perez (1-0, 0.44) will try to keep the Chanclas’ season alive, while the Bombers counter with southpaw Will Johnston (1-0, 3.37).