Tale of Two Games, Offense Silenced in Nightcap

07/09/2012
 

The nightcap would prove to be a whole new ballgame. After 36 combined runs were scored in the first game, only 9 total were scored in game 2. Brandon Burchfield took the hill for the Redlegs and turned in his 2nd quality outing, going the distance and striking out 4 batters and allowing only 4 earned runs.

The Redlegs took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st. After two quick outs, Jacob Robinson singled and scored on a double by Brandon Howard. As Robinson barely beat the throw to the plate, Howard moved to 3rd base and scored when Matt Mattice singled. The Thunder came right back in the bottom half scoring 3 runs to take the lead. Ryan Callison blasted his 8th homerun to drive in 2 runs in the frame. The Thunder then tacked another un on in the 2nd to take a 4-2 lead. The score stood still for a few innings but the Redlegs finally made things interesting in the 5th. After the first two men were retired in the inning, Kevin Campbell showed some pop as he drove a solo shot over the left field fence for his first career MVABL homerun. Jack Millard later singled and was able to score on a Thunder throwing error which tied the game at 4. The Thunder took the lead right back in the bottom of the 5th. Former Redleg Dalton Cox led the inning off with a triple. The next hitter grounded out to 3rd for the 1st out which brought Callison back to the plate. The Redlegs opted to put Callison on to set up the double play, and Burchfield was able to strike the following batter out. But then skipper John Ramsey came through and singled in the go ahead run to give the Thunder a 5-4 lead.

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the 7th the Redlegs needed a rally and Brandon Longacre was set to lead the inning off. Longacre ripped a ball down the 1st base line which glanced off the glove of the first basemen. It was corralled by the Thunder 2nd basemen who unloaded it in time to get Longacre for the 1st out. After a groundout, Kevin Campbell walked to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Campbell was lifted in favor of the speedy TJ Ray and Ray quickly stole 2nd base to put the tying run in scoring position. The game ending out was then recorded on a pop out that was tracked down in foul ground giving the Thunder the 5-4 win.

Boxscore

PlayerABHRRBIBB
J Millard41100
S Benthal30000
J Robinson32100
B Howard33110
M Mattice31010
T Patterson30000
J Long30000
B Longacre30000
J Bradley30000
K Campbell21111

2B: Howard 3
HR: Campbell

PlayerIPHRERKBB
B Burchfield (L)685441