Walk-er off home run clinches sweep for River Dogs
Walk-er off home run clinches sweep for River Dogs
After a five-inning 10-0 game one win by the River Dogs, led to a game winning walk off home run by Josh Walker in the bottom of the seventh in game two, preserving the series sweep with a 2-1 victory.
It was Walker's third and what assistant coach Sam Boruff expects from the veteran River Dog player this early in the season.
"The thing is, Josh has some college experience and some playing time," Boruff said. "It is an experience thing and I don't think it is anything more than that."
Walker finished the game 1-for-2, and was set up by Sonny Garza's pitching performance to put the River Dogs into a game-winning situation.
Garza, who struggled early on against the Sun Devils, settled down and allowed one run over seven innings on four hits, but struck out eight batters and walked one. Pasco was held hitless the remaining five innings of the second game after tacking on all four hits in the first two innings.
In game one, Derek Shoemaker came off a no-hit performance during the weekend and held the Sun Devils to three hits in the 10-0 shutout.
"Shoemaker battles and when someone gets on, he settles down and throws grounders and gets guys out," Boruff said. "As the game moves on, he gets stronger."
The River Dogs started game one with a slow start as Pasco's pitcher Jeff Bonderman retired nine straight batters. In the fourth, Brady Lamb reached on a third baseman throwing error, moved to second on a single by Chad Hunter and scored on Garza's single to left field, breaking a 0-0 tie.
Hawkins Gebbers and Kyle Chamberlain followed with back-to-back RBI singles, Gebbers later scored on a wild pitch and Chamberlain scored on a Kyle Wilmot single to left field.
The River Dogs finished the game off with another five-run fifth inning, including a two run single by Chamberlain and Camron Iverson drew a bases loaded walk to drive in the final run of the game to cap a 10-0 final.
"The fact that you squeak one in for the first hit and the rest come," Boruff said. "Hits are contagious and I think that is a big thing."
Game two became a pitchers dual between Garza and Pasco's Cody Smith with each pitcher struggling early.
The Sun Devils scored a run early in the first off Garza and Smith walked three straight batters before striking out Rudy Valdez and forcing Chamberlain to hit into a double play.
Wilmot tied the game for the River Dogs with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Nick Dietzen, who hit a triple in his at bat.
Smith left the game in the fifth in the hands of John Merry to hold on for a possible Sun Devils victory. Merry allowed one hit in each of the innings he appeared, the last being the game winning home run to Walker.
The River Dogs left seven runners in scoring position during the second game and had bases loaded twice with one out or less and didn't convert a run. Something Boruff wasn't concerned with.
"It doesn't concern me, it is baseball," Boruff said. "Anytime you play baseball, times happen like that. Sometimes it is mental, sometimes the pitcher is good. I think it doesn't concern me and that is why I am coach."
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