Tag: Aaron Pribanic

The Curve played another mid-day game today, with the stadium full of school kids

Altoona Curve  4,  Akron Aeros  3
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The Curve hung on for the win, despite being out-hit 12-6 by the Aeros.  Aaron Pribanic earned his third win of the season, and Noah Krol earned his 7th Save.   

SS Jordy Mercer got things going for the Curve in the bottom of the 2nd inning.  He beat out an infield single to third, then stole second base.  A grounder by DH Tony Sanchez moved him to third base, and Mercer scored from there on a wild pitch.  C Eric Fryer singled and 1B Miles Durham walked after Mercer scored, but both were left on base.  

Akron took the lead in the top of the 4th.  Pribanic had allowed 3 singles over the first two innings, but left those batters on base.  He hit a batter with a pitch to open the 4th inning, then gave up a 2-run homer, giving the Aeros a 2-1 lead.  

The Curve went down in order in both the 3rd and 4th innings, but they got to the Akron starter again in the bottom of the 5th.  Fryer led off with a walk, and with one out, RF Jose Hernandez drove a triple into center field, scoring Fryer.  2B Brock Holt's RBI ground out brought in Hernandez, and the Curve had the lead back, 3-2.  They tacked on another run in the 6th.  LF Quincy Latimore began the inning with a line drive into center field for a single, and when the Akron center fielder made a fielding error, Latimore moved to second base.  Mercer followed with another line drive into center, putting runners on the corners.  Sanchez bounced into a double play, erasing Mercer, but Latimore was able to score from third base for a 4-2 lead.   

Pribanic allowed 6 hits with those 2 runs in the 4th, going a total of 5 innings.  He did not walk a batter and struck out 3 Aeros' batters.  Tim Alderson came on in relief to begin the 6th, and retired the side in order.  He gave up an unearned run in the 7th, when Fryer made a fielding error to put a runner on base.  A force out at second traded runners at first, and an RBI double brought the run in.   Michael Dubee loaded the bases on three singles in the 8th, but wiggled out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out.  Krol earned his save by getting out of another bases-loaded jam in the top of the 9th (two singles and a walk) with a timely double play.

Altoona Curve  8,  Erie SeaWolves  6
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Two big innings gave the Curve enough runs to withstand a late-inning rally by the SeaWolves and take the win to open this series.  The Curve got started with a two-out rally which scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd.  After a line out and a ground out, C Tony Sanchez and DH Kris Watts both walked.  1B Miles Durham and RF Brad Chalk then hit back-to-back doubles, with Durham driving in one run and Watts adding two.  2B Brock Holt reached base on a fielding error at shortstop, moving Chalk to third base.  Chalk scored on a balk, giving the Curve a 4-0 lead.  They added 3 more runs in the 5th, beginning with Holt's lead-off single through the hole into right field.  CF Starling Marte dropped down a sacrifice bunt to moved Holt to second base. Three consecutive singles, by LF Quincy Latimore, Mercer, and 3B Jeremy Farrell brought in one run (Mercer's RBI).  After a pitching change, Sanchez made it four straight singles with a liner into center field, scoring Latimore and Mercer.  The Curve added one more insurance run in the 7t, on a single by Latimore and an RBI double by Mercer.  

Aaron Pribanic made the start for the Curve and earned his second win of the season.  He pitched 5 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and a walk.  Two of the hits, a single and a double, came in the 3rd inning, and were followed by a bouncer back to the mound, which Pribanic returned to Sanchez, who tagged out the lead runner at the plate.  Two more singles came in the 4th, and both of those runners were left on base.  Brian Leach pitched the 6th and 7th innings and gave up a run in each.  A walk and a triple plated the run in the 6th, and a walk, a single, and two ground outs brought in the run in the 7th.  Tom Boleska began the 8th inning, and got into trouble right away.  Two walks and a double loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly scored one run.  After another walk, Boleska was relieved by Noah Krol.  The first batter Krol faced doubled into left field for 2 runs, and a hit batter and an RBI ground out gave Erie the fourth run of the inning.  Krol ended the rally with a strikeout, then retired the SeaWolves in order in the 9th to earn his 6th Save of the season.  

The Indianapolis Indians and the Columbus Clippers were rained out in Columbus tonight.  They will try for two on Monday, beginning at 5 pm.  Sunday's game is scheduled for 4 pm.
Infielder Pedro Ciriaco was optioned back to the Indians, after just a brief visit to Pittsburgh.  The Pirates' new shortstop Brandon Wood got himself to Pittsburgh very quickly, so no need for Ciriaco to fill in.  Jose Ascanio, who was hit in the head by a line drive on Thursday, has been diagnosed as having "just" a contusion (a bruise).  He's doing better today.


Kannapolis Intimidators  8,  West Virginia Power  7   (Game 1) 
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 The Pirates were able to fight back after Kannapolis scored 6 runs in the 2nd inning, but 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th gave Kannapolis the win.  The Power had  the early lead with one run in the 1st and 2 more in the 2nd. CF Mel Rojas walked, and 1B Matt Curry singled.  LF Rogelios Noris' fly out moved Rojas to third, and then Rojas scored on RF Justin Howard's single through the hole into left field.  C Kawika Emsley-Pai walked to load the bases, but a ground out ended the inning without any more runs scoring.  With one out in the top of the 2nd, back-to-back doubles by DH Jairo Marquez and SS Drew Maggi brought in one run, then a wild pitch and a fielding error allowed Maggi to score, giving the Power a 3-0 lead.

Starter Colton Cain had retired the Intimidators in order in the 1st, but got in trouble in the bottom of the 2nd, when the first 6 batters who came to the plate reached base safely.  A single, a double, and a walk loaded the bases, then a hit batter forced in the first run.  A double plated two more, and a single added another two.  Another double made it 6 runs in the inning, and the Power were behind 6-3.  

The Power battled right back in the top of the 3rd.  Walks to Howard and 3B Andy Vasquez both walked, and Emsley-Pai was hit by a pitch to load the bases again for the Power.  An RBI ground out drove in Howard, then Marquez's single scored both Vasquez and Emsley-Pai to tie the score at 6-6.  The Power took the lead in the 4th on Curry's lead-off home run.  

Trent Stevenson relieved Cain to begin the 3rd inning, and he pitched 3 scoreless innings.  He allowed 3 hits and struck out one.  The Power bats suddenly went quiet after the 4th, with no more hits until the 7th, when Howard tripled.  Emsley-Pai and Marquez both walked, but two ground outs and a strikeout left all three on base.  Jason Townsend pitched the 6th inning for the Power, allowing just one hit.  Casey Sadler came on to pitch the 7th, and with one out, Sadler gave up three consecutive singles.  The third hit went to Howard in right field, and Howard's throw back to the plate was right to Emsley-Pai, who tagged out the lead runner at the plate.  But the next batter doubled to tie the score again, and the fourth single of the inning drove in the winning walk-off run.  

Sunday's action in the Pirates' lower minor leagues:

West Virginia Power  7,  Augusta Green Jackets  0
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Three Power pitchers powered up to shut out the Green Jackets.  Colton Cain made the start and earned his first win of the season.  He allowed just one hit and one walk in 6 innings.  Cain retired the first 9 Augusta batters in order, then gave up both the hit (a double) and a walk to begin the bottom of the 4th.  A double play and a pop out got Cain out of that little jam, then he retired 6 more batters to end his outing.  Kevin Decker allowed a single in each of his two innings, but maintained the shutout.  Ryan Beckman gave up two singles in the 9th, but left both on base to end the game.  

The Power began their scoring with an unearned run in the top of the 2nd.  C Elias Diaz reached on a fielding error in right field, then advanced to third base on RF Dan Grovatt's single.  2B Kevin Mort brought Diaz in with a sacrifice fly.  Grovatt led off the 5th with a walk.  He was forced out at second on Mort's grounder, though Mort avoided the double play and was safe at first.  LF Andy Vasquez plated Mort with a triple into right field.

The 6th was the big inning for the Power.  CF Mel Rojas and 1B Matt Curry started the frame with back-to-back singles, and after two outs, Diaz walked to load the bases.  Another walk to Grovatt forced in Rojas, then Mort drove in Curry and Diaz with a line drive single into center field.  The Power tacked on another run in the 7th, when SS Gift Ngoepe doubled, Rojas singled (his third hit of the game), and a fielder's choice on Curry's ball let Ngoepe score.  It was Curry's turn to double in the 9th, and he scored on Avila's RBI single.  

One win on Monday night in the Pirates' lower minor leagues:

Akron Aeros  6,  Altoona Curve  5
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CF Starling Marte had 3 hits for the Curve in their loss in Akron.  Starter Aaron Pribanic gave up only a double over the first 3 innings, then surrendered a solo homer in the 4th.  Akron scored 2 runs in the 5th, when rehabbing Cleveland Indians' star Grady Sizemore doubled after two singles.  

The Curve had only one hit, a single by LF Quincy Latimore, in their first 5 innings, though they also had two batters reach on errors -- 2B Brock Holt in the 3rd and C Tony Sanchez in the 4th.  Down 3-0 going into the top of the 6th, the Curve got going.  With one out, Marte beat out a bunt single, and SS Jordy Mercer walked.  Sanchez also beat out an infield single to third to load the bases, and 1B Miles Durham's line drive into left field brought in Marte, leaving the bases loaded again.  Latimore plated Mercer with a sacrifice fly.  Then 3B Jeremy Farrell drove in Sanchez and Durham when he tripled into center field, giving the Curve a 4-3 lead.  

Tim Alderson relieved Pribanic to begin the 6th inning.  He gave up two singles in that inning, but kept the Aeros from scoring.  Akron also singled twice in the bottom of the 7th, including one by Sizemore, but this time, a throwing error by Holt on the force attempt let in one unearned run.  After a ground out, a double drove in two more runs, also unearned, and Akron had the lead back, 6-4.

The Curve added one more run in the 8th, when Latimore walked, then came around to score on Farrell's double into right field.  Walks to DH Eric Fryer and RF Brad Chalk loaded the bases again, but the Curve could not capitalize, and all three were left stranded.  Tom Boleska finished the game for the Curve with a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th.  Alderson was charged with the loss, as well as a Blown Save.  

All of the Pirates' minor league affiliates lost their season openers on Thursday night:

Erie SeaWolves  3,  Altoona Curve 2

One run in the bottom of the 9th made the difference, as the Curve lost in Erie, PA.  The SeaWolves were first onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the 5th inning.  Curve starter Bryan Morris had already escaped from two jams in the early innings.  In the 2nd, RF Brad Chalk threw out a runner who was trying to stretch a double into a triple, then Chalk ended the inning when he threw to C Tony Sanchez to nail a runner who was trying to score from second base on a single.  Morris loaded the bases in the 4th with a single and two walks, but a timely double play, 3B Jeremy Farrell to 2B Brock Holt, to 1B Miles Durham, ended that inning without a run scoring.  Morris' luck ran out in the 5th, though, when a walk and a 2-run homer gave Erie a 2-0 lead.  

The Curve missed a scoring opportunity in the top of the 2nd, when Sanchez singled into left field, and LF Quincy Latimore lined a double just out of the reach of the Erie left fielder.  But with runners on second and third, Erie starter Jacob Turner struck out both Farrell and DH Eric Fryer to end the inning.  Turner allowed only two base runners for the next 4 innings -- he walked Holt, and he hit Sanchez with a pitch.  (Sanchez has got to stop being a magnet for opposing pitchers' pitches.)  After Turner left the game, the Curve were able to put men on base again.  Farrell singled and Fryer walked in the 7th, though they didn't score.  The 8th inning began with back-to-back walks to Holt and CF Starling Marte.  SS Jordy Mercer bunted them over to second and third, then another walk to Sanchez loaded the bases.  Latimore came through again, with another double off the left field wall, missing a grand slam by inches, to plate both Holt and Marte and tie the game at 2-2.  

Reliever Anthony Claggett finished the 5th inning for Morris with a strikeout and a pickoff of one of the runners Morris had put on base.  Aaron Pribanic and Jared Hughes each pitched a perfect inning, with one strikeout for Pribanic and two for Hughes.  Michael Dubee struck out the side in the 8th inning to preserve the tie.  The Curve batters could not get anything going in the top of the 9th, though, and Dubee came back out to pitch the bottom of the 9th.  With one out, a single and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position, and a ground out moved him to third base.  Then a sinking line drive, just inches away from the diving Latimore's glove, fell in for a hit, scoring the runner from third base for the walk-off win.  
Dubee was charged with the loss.  Morris got a no-decision, with 2 runs on 4 hits and 5 walks, plus 3 strikeouts, in 4.1 innings.  The Curve had just 4 hits, two of them doubles by Latimore.  

Moving on up, as we look at the Pirates' minor league pitchers....

Aaron Pribanic --  R/R,  6' 4",  200 lb
Pribanic came to the Pirates in July 2009, as a part of the trade with the Mariners for Jack Wilson and Ian Snell.  He was assigned to West Virginia, where he made 6 starts and one relief appearance to finish the season, earning a 4-2 record and a 2.15 ERA.  He didn't walk many 5 (1.2 walks/ 9 innings), but didn't strike out many either (18, 4.3 K/ 9 innings).  Pribanic was promoted to A+ Bradenton to begin 2010, and he spent the whole season there.  He was a starter for the whole season, making 27 appearances, and earning a 7-6 record with an overall 3.33 ERA.  He began the season slowly, with 4 starts in April, in which he gave up a total of 12 earned runs in 17 innings (6.35 ERA).  May was a little better, with 18 earned runs in 33.1 innings (6 starts), for a 4.86 ERA.  He gave up 11 runs in his first three starts in June, but by the second half of the month, things were beginning to turn around.  Pribanic gave up 4 runs over his last three starts in June (21 innings).  July was even better:  5 earned runs in 30 innings for a 1.50 ERA.  Pribanic finished up the season with 8 runs in 44.2 innings (1.61 ERA) in August/September.  Again in 2010, he did not walk many (33, 1.9 walks/ 9 innings) and did not strikeout many  (71, 4.2 K/ 9 innings).  Pribanic was assigned to the Arizona Fall League, where he made 11 appearances, all in relief, for the Mesa Solar Sox.  He threw 18 innings and allowed 4 earned runs on 18 hits (2.00 ERA), with 6 walks and 9 strikeouts.  The low strikeout rate has been attributed to Pribanic not having particularly strong breaking pitches.  He does get a lot of ground ball outs, though, which explains why he can allow 157 hits in 154 innings and still give up "only" 57 runs.  Pribanic needs to work more on those breaking pitches, as the Pirates would really like to see more strikeouts.  He should begin 2011, at age 24, as a starter for AA Altoona.

 
Brian Leach --  R/R,  6' 3", 195 lb
Leach was chosen by the Pirates in the 25th round of the 2008 draft.  He pitched as both a starter and a reliever in his first two seasons in the Pirates' organization, but in 2010, Leach pitched almost exclusively as a starter, with just 2 relief appearances.  He was promoted to Bradenton for the season, and like Pribanic, he got off to a slow start, leading the Marauders in earned runs (15) and walks (16) for the month of April, when he made one relief appearance and four starts, for 20.2 innings, for a 6.53 ERA.  He cut back on the walks in May (9), and did a little better with runs, for a 4.70 ERA in 23 innings.  Leach too turned things around in June, when he allowed 7 runs in 30 innings (2.10 ERA), with 7 walks.  That ballooned up to a 4.75 ERA in July, though he kept the walks down to 6, and slid back to 3.26 ERA in August/Sept, with 9 walks.  Overall, Leach earned a 9-9 record and a 3.85 ERA, with 144 hits in 138 innings.  He walked 44 (2.9 walks/ 9 innings), and struck out 98 (6.4 K/ 9 innings).  Leach also participated in the Arizona Fall League after the regular season.  He made 10 relief appearances for the Mesa Solar Sox, and while he allowed 11 hits and 7 walks in his 10 innings, he did not allow a run.  Leach has been somewhat on-again-off-again with his control -- it was better during the second half of the regular season, and not so great during the AFL.  He needs to work on that in 2011, when at age 25, he should be joining Pribanic in the Altoona starting rotation.

The Arizona Fall League wrapped up with the Championship Game on Saturday.  The Scottsdale Scorpions beat the Peoria Javelinas 3-2.  Each team posted 7 hits, with RF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) going 3-for-3 for the Javelinas.  Loewen's first single contributed to the Javelina's first run in the top of the 2nd, but the Scorpions came back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, which included an RBI single by RF Bryce Harper (Nationals).  Loewen also singled in Peoria's 4th run rally, when they tied the score at 2-2.  Scottsdale took the lead again in the bottom of the frame, with a pair of doubles.  Starter Sammy Solis (Nationals) earned the win for Scottsdale with 4 innings of work, and reliever Cole Kimball (Nationals) earned the save.

The Mesa Solar Sox played their second-to-last game on Wednesday, losing to Scottsdale by a score of 6-0.  The Solar Sox were held to just 3 hits.  2B Josh Harrison had one of them -- a double to lead off the 4th inning.  CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) and 1B Josh Satin (Mets) each had a single.  Harrison was the first Mesa player to reach base in the game, after they went down in order for the first 3 innings.  But he was left on base when Scottsdale's Josh Collmenter (Diamondbacks) struck out the next three batters.  Nieuwenhuis singled and stole second base in the 5th, but the other three batters in that inning struck out too.  Satin singled in the 8th, but was left on base.  The Solar Sox had their best chance in the 7th inning, when with one out, DH Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) reached base on a fielding error and RF Andrew Lambo walked (the only walk for the Solar Sox.  But C Tony Sanchez bounced into a force out, and a line out ended the inning.  

Peoria Javelinas 8, Mesa Solar Sox 7

With four more games to play, the Solar Sox are teetering on the edge of being eliminated from the Arizona Fall League playoffs. If they lose any one of their remaining games, they will not be able to catch up to the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Tonight, a 5-run 7th inning gave the Javelinas the win, and it happened with Aaron Pribanic on the mound. Pribanic relieved Jacob Diekman (Phillies) to begin the bottom of the 7th. The inning began with a single, then a pop out. A double scored one run, then a single and a fielding error by 2B Josh Harrison added a second run. The next three batters each brought in a run: an RBI double, a fielder's choice, and a throwing error by SS Andrew Romine (Angels). Pribanic walked another batter, and then was relieved by Steven Geltz (Angels), who ended the inning with a strikeout. The 5 runs gave the Javelinas an 8-6 lead, and the Solar Sox could not catch up.

Peoria was the first onto the scoreboard, with a run on a double and a single in the bottom of the 2nd, charged to Mesa starter Robert Carson (Mets). Chris Carpenter (Cubs) pitched the 4th inning, and he also allowed a run on a double and a single. Kyle Smit (Cubs) pitched a scoreless 5th, then Diekman gave up a run in the 6th on a triple and an RBI ground out.

The Solar Sox took the lead in the 3rd inning, when they scored 2 runs. Josh Harrison led off the frame with a walk, then stole second base. He moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch. 3B Josh Vitters (Cubs) also walked and stole second base, and he scored on LF John Tolisano's (Blue Jays) single. Doubles were the hit of choice in the 4th inning. RF Andrew Lambo led off with a single, then doubles by C Kai Gronauer (Mets), Harrison, and Romine accounted for 3 runs. A walk and another RBI single by Tolisano gave the Solar Sox a 6-2 lead. Tolisano collected his third RBI single in the 8th inning, driving in Romine, who had doubled. Lambo, Gonauer, and Harrison all singled to load the bases in the 9th, but the threat ended with a grounder force out.  DH Jordy Mercer had one hit in his 5 plate appearances, a single in the 7th inning.  

The Solar Sox and the Arizona Fall League have Sunday off, as usual.  

Mesa Solar Sox� 7,� Surprise Rafters� 5

Isn't this what every hitter dreams about?� A grand slam in the bottom of the 9th, to win the game for your team!� The Solar Sox went into the bottom of the 9th behind by a score of 5-1.� 2B Josh Harrison led off the inning with a walk, and another walk to 3B Brandon Wood (Angels) and a single by 1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) brought in one run.� CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis grounded to third, and was safe on the fielder's choice as Wood scored.� Rizzotti was replaced by pinch-runner Ryan Flaherty (Cubs), and a single by SS Jordy Mercer loaded the bases for RF Andrew Lambo. Lambo made the dream come true with a walk-off grand slam and the win for the Solar Sox.

Nieuwenhuis gave Mesa their first run on a solo homer in the 7th.� Mercer had also singled in the 2nd inning, but was erased when Lambo bounced into a double play.

Justin Wilson made the start for the Solar Sox and pitched 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks with 3 strikeouts.� Three of the walks plus a single gave Surprise one run in the 1st inning.� Another walk, a ground out, and an RBI single brought in a run in the 3rd inning.� Aaron Pribanic relieved Wilson, pitching the next 3 innings.� He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 4th, ending the inning with a timely strikeout.� He gave up a single in the 5th, but that runner was thrown out trying to steal second.� In the 6th, Pribanic gave up 2 more singles, but left both runners stranded.

Ryan Brasier (Angels) retired the side in order for the Solar Sox in the 7th.� BJ Rosenberg (Phillies) gave up 3 runs to the Rafters in the 8th.� He allowed a lead-off homer, then two more runs on a pair of walks, and a pair of singles.� Chris Kissock (Phillies) pitched the top of the 9th, allowing one single.� He was the pitcher of record when the Solar Sox rallied in the bottom of the inning, so he earned the win.

Mesa Solar Sox� 13,� Surprise Rafters� 5

The Solar Sox started and ended the game with a bang on Friday afternoon in Arizona.� They plated 5 runs in the top of the 1st, and 4 in the top of the 9th, with 2 more in both the 2nd and 5th innings, as they recorded 16 hits.� The Sox' pitchers held the Rafters to 7 hits.

The top of the 1st began with a double by 2B Jordany Valdespin (Mets) and a single by 3B Josh Harrison, which moved Valdespin to third base.� CF Jeremy Moore's (Angels) sacrifice fly brought in Valdespin.� DH Brandon Wood (Angels) lined a single into right field, where the Rafters' right fielder made a throwing error.� That let Harrison score and put Wood on second base.� C Tony Sanchez walked, and RF/CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) doubled, scoring Wood.� SS Jordy Mercer bounced back to the mound, and the runners had to hold.� Then 1B Josh Satin (Mets) lined another single into right field, and both Sanchez and Nieuwenhuis scored, though Satin was thrown out trying to reach second base on the throw in to the plate.

The Rafters scored one run in the bottom of the inning on a double, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly, making the score 5-1.� Mesa came right back to add 2 runs in the 2nd, again sparked by Valedspin and Harrison.� This time it was Valdespin who singled and Harrison who doubled (ground rule).� A fielder's choice and a throwing error by Surprise 1B Eric Hosmer (Team USA and Royals) allowed both runners to score.

Surprise continued to battle, scoring a run in the 3rd on a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI single.� A walk, a triple, and a single gave them 2 more runs in the 4th, and the score was 7 - 4 with the Solar Sox still ahead.� The Solar Sox got 2 runs back in the 5th.� Sanchez and Nieuwenhuisled off the inning with a pair of doubles, and Mercer followed with a single, then stole second base.� LF Tim Kennelly's ground out drove in Nieuwenhuis, to give the Sox a 9-4 lead.

Pitchers took over for the next several innings.� Aaron Pribanic pitched the 6th and 7th innings for Mesa, and he allowed the only two base runners over 4 innings for Surprise.� A single in the 6th was erased by a double play, and a walk in the 7th was left on base.� Harrison had the only hit for the Solar Sox, a single to lead off the 6th.

Peoria Saguaros� 13,� Mesa Solar Sox� 8

Errors abounded as the Solar Sox experienced the effects of "what goes around comes around".� The two teams combined for 21 runs on 33 hits and 10 errors, but it was the Saguaros' 11-run 7th inning that did the Solar Sox in.

The Solar Sox posted 13 hits, led by 3B Brandon Wood (Angels) and his 2 singles and a double.� C Tony Sanchez and 2B Josh Harrison were both hitless, though Harrison walked and scored in one at-bat.� RF Andrew Lambo had one hit, a double, and he scored once.

Mesa started off well, when DH Jordany Valdespin (Mets) walked, moved to second on a balk, and scored on Wood's single.� Peoria replied with a run on a double, a single, and a throwing error by Lambo in the 2nd.

Two throwing errors, two singles, and a double by Wood gave Mesa the lead again, with 2 runs in the top of the 3rd.� Lambo doubled in the 4th inning, but was left on base.� Three singles, by SS Andrew Romine (Angels), Valdespin, and 1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies), plus a wild pitch brought in two more runs in the 5th, and the Solar Sox lead 5-1.

Reliever Aaron Pribanic took a turn on the mound for the Solar Sox in the bottom of the 5th.� He gave up a run on three singles, then worked around a single by striking out three batters in the 6th.

The Sox kept going, with 2 runs in the 6th.� Lambo opened the inning by reaching first base on a fielding error, then advanced to second on a balk.� Harrison walked, then two singles, by LF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) and Romine, drove in Lambo.� Harrison scored on a wild pitch.� In the 7th, Wood singled again and scored on Rizzotti's double.� That gave the Solar Sox an 8 - 2 lead going into the bottom of the 7th.

That's when the wheels fell off.� Robert Fish (Angels) relieved Pribanic, and started the inning with a walk, a single, a ground-rule double, and a single, accounting for 2 runs.� After a fly out, Fish continued with a double and a triple, as 3 more runs came in.� Eddie McKiernan (Angels) relieved Fish, and he gave up a double and a run, complicated by a fielding error by Lambo.� Two singles and a missed catch error by Harrison, and another 2 runs scored.� A double steal resulted in two throwing errors (by Sanchez and by CF Jeremy Moore --� Angels) and 2 more runs, clearing the bases.� But it kept going, with a triple, a sacrifice fly, and an extra single -- totalling 11 runs and 15 batters.� A pop-out finally ended the horror.

The Solar Sox had no hope of coming back, though they did put two runners on base in the 8th, on a single by Nieuwenhuis and another error, but a double play ended the inning.