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Senators Losing Streak Ends After One Game |
June 20, 2008 -- Vienna, VA. The Senators losing streak has come to an end. Senators hitters came out motivated and teed off on opposing Blue Caps pitching, laying to rest any concerns that the previous night's loss may have presented. A day after they left ten runners on base, the Senators scored five first inning runs en route to a 13-8 victory. However, a late comeback from the Blue Caps made the game dicey in the top of the ninth inning.
Blue Caps hitter Max Eckert took closer Jimmy Duggan deep for another grand slam in the ninth to bring the Blue Caps within one. Eckert had hit a grand slam earlier in the game, and finished the game with 8 RBIs. However, Duggan came back and struck out Mike Lenox to end the game.
Coming off of the team's first loss of the season, the Senators offense looked more focused and sharp. “I don't think this team should ever lose,” said Tagmyer. “I think coming out and losing a game last night definitely opened our eyes.”
Even with a shaky pitching performance, the hitters supplied enough offense to carry the team to a victory. Senators hitters chased Blue Caps starter Alex Eliopoulos in the fourth inning. Eliopoulos yielded seven runs, five earned, on nine hits.
“I think we just saw pitches better, and we executed bunts and with runners on third better than we have,” said right fielder Blake Tagmyer.
Centerfielder Nick Boullosa got the Senators started with a leadoff double, and came around to score on a David Harris single. The first five Senators reached base, highlighted by a Martin Parra three-run home run. All five came around to score. The Senators sent eight total batters to the plate in the inning.
The Blue Caps responded in the fourth inning, when first three batters reached to start the inning. Shane Brown started the inning with an infield single. Chris Duffy then reached on an error, and Derek Kline walked. That set the stage for Eckert, who snuck a grand slam home run just over the left-centerfield fence.
The Senators came right back with two in the bottom half of the inning to stretch the lead to 7-4. The usually reliable Chad Johnson came on in the fifth in relief of Graham, but Johnson was reached for a two-run home run by Chris Duffy. However, the Blue Caps wouldn't score again until their rally in the top of the ninth inning.
The Senators offense didn't let up scoring runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Tagmyer padded the lead with a two-run home run that clanged off of the scoreboard in right-centerfield .
“ It was a fastball right down the middle, and I was looking fastball, and I just tried to put a good swing on it,” said Tagmyer.
In a game dominated by crooked scoreboard numbers and powerful offenses, Senators pitcher Kyle Hald was a bright spot for the pitchers. Hald, who recorded the win and ran his record to 3-0, pitched three perfect innings. He struck out four batters in the process.
All in all, the Senators recorded 16 hits in the victory. The victory pushed the Senators record to 15-1, and dropped the Blue Caps to 3-9.
The Senators play a doubleheader tomorrow against the Columbia Reds, from the Maryland Collegiate Baseball League. The first game is scheduled to start at 5:00PM at Fairfax High School.
Andrew Struckmeyer
Vienna Senators