River Dogs finish third in World Series
Michael Rattigan slides into home while Monterey Bay's Chris Hernandez reaches for the ball Thursday in Newark, Ohio. The River Dogs took third place at the Babe Ruth Senior World Series.<br>Charlie Walters/For the Columbia Basin Herald
Team lost game in extra innings
NEWARK, Ohio — The River Dogs finished their season in Newark, Ohio competing for a spot in the finals of the Babe Ruth Senior World Series Thursday.
After losing the second game of the series, they never gave up and tallied two come-from-behind victories before falling in extra innings to the host team, the Licking County Athletics, 8-7.
Thursday started with a game against Monterey Bay. They won by a score of 10-5. Jorge Reyes got the win in relief.
In the first inning the River Dogs got behind by five runs. They battled back with three runs in their bottom half of the inning.
Neither team scored in the second inning.
The River Dogs came back in the third inning and scored three runs, taking the lead for good from Monterey Bay.
In the sixth inning, the Dogs scored one more insurance run for the final score of 10-5.
After taking the first game the River Dogs had to come back and play that night against the Athletics. Michael Taylor started the game for the River Dogs.
The Athletics got out for the early lead in the first inning after scoring one run. The River Dogs had an immediate answer in their half of the inning by scoring two runs and taking a 2-1 lead.
Neither team scored in the second, third or fourth innings. It was the makings of a good pitchers duel.
In the fifth the Athletics came back and tied the score with one run off a triple and a single.
Unfortunately, the Dogs could not answer in their half of the inning or in the sixth inning and heading into the seventh, the score was still tied at 2-2.
Sonny Garza started the seventh inning for the Dogs and ran into trouble. He was removed for Reyes but the Athletics touched the Dogs for five runs in the inning.
Needing to score five runs to stay alive the River Dogs did it, with help from Garza.
He drove in two runs with a single in the bottom half of the inning as part of a five run inning for the Dogs. They tied the score at 7-7 but could not take the lead and finish the job.
In the top of the eighth the Athletics scored on a sacrifice fly for the go ahead run.
It was more than the Dogs could answer. With two outs Curran Redal walked and Hawkins Gebbers was hit by a pitch but Garza grounded out for the last out of the game.
The River Dogs finished the Babe Ruth Senior World Series with a record of 3-2. The Athletics will go on to play in the finals Friday.