Stadium: Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (Capacity: 12,976)
August 30: Bison 3, Hops 1
August 31: Bison 5, Hops 2
September 1: Hops 4, Bison 3 (11)
Lubbock, TX (AP) - The Flagstaff Hops dropped two of three in Lubbock but avoided the sweep with an extra innings victory in the finale over the West Texas Bison.
The Bison took the opener 3-1 behind a great pitching performance from starter Douglas Matsui. He pitched seven innings, allowing just the single on and scattering seven hits while striking out five.
West Texas would grab the lead in the third inning on a Ryan RBI single. They would increase the lead to 3-0 in the fourth on back-to-back homers from Ervin Larkin and Grant Gomez.
Flagstaff would get one back on a solo homer from Josh Ortega in the seventh. It was his 23rd on the season. He would go 4 for 4 in the game.
Sam Herzog (9-5) would take the loss. He pitched six innings, allowing the three runs on nine hits. Alex Spanos and Oliver Benedict would each pitch a scoreless inning of relief.
Matthew Ball pitched the ninth to pick up his 39th save in 39 opportunities for the Bison.
On Wednesday evening the Bison won again, defeating the Hops 5-2. Grant Gomez led the Bison with a single, home run and two runs scored as West Texas gets back to .500, while dropping the Hops back down to .500.
Red-hot Josh Ortega doubled home Art Mason in the first inning to give Flagstaff the early lead.
But that would not last long as Bobby Rayburn and Grant Gomez each hit solo home runs in the second to put the Bison in front for good. They would add solo runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to move in front 5-1.
A Roberto Geronimo solo home run in the top of the ninth gave the Hops some hope. But closer Matthew Ball came on with one out in the ninth and slammed the door shut on his 40th save of the season.
John Benitez (3-5) would take the loss. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one. Alex Farmer (8-8) picked up the win for the Bison. He worked six innings, allowing one run on just four hits. He struck out three and walked two.
In the finale, the Hops blew a 3-0 lead, but pulled the game out in extra innings thanks to some sloppy defense by the Bison, as they won 4-3. Two errors led to an unearned run, but the Hops will take it as they moved back above .500.
The Hops (68-67) would grab a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning on an Art Mason RBI single and Arturo Mardones two-run home run, his 20th on the season.
But West Texas responded with solo home runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. David Razae homered on the first pitch that he saw from rookie Russell Fluty, making his IBL debut. Manny Vega then homered off of Oliver Benedict in the seventh and Chris Rosas hit a two-out blast off of Oliver in the eighth to tie the game at 3-3.
In the eleventh, Robbie Westbrook singled to center with one out. He then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Roberto Geronimo would single him home with a blooper over the drawn in infield.
Vic Miller would come on and pick up the save, his 35th, to secure the victory.
Angelo Chacin worked five shutout innings, striking out three and only allowing three hits. Aldo Osuna (5-5) picked up the win, pitching 2.1 innings.
Around the League: Colorado Springs defeated Forth Worth 4-1 in a battle of division leaders in Arlington. Mike Stoneridge (10-8) picked up the win, tossing eight innings and allowing one run on just five hits. He struck out five and walked three.
Jose Lema (10-10) pitched eight masterful innings, allowing three hits and no runs as Fort Worth crushed Colorado Springs 11-0.
Phoenix’s Fletcher Fluty tossed 6.1 shutout innings and Kenny James won it with a walk off RBI double as the Firebird’s defeated Scottsdale 1-0 to take over first place in the Desert League Central.
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Robbie Westbrook steals second in the 11th and ends up being the winning run on Thursday evening.
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