Thursday, June 6, 1996

PDogs get revenge on White Wings

By TED DUNNAM
Assistant Sports Editor

There was a lengthy period the past two nights that Rio Grande Valley had people believing that darkness was not the proper environment for bats in Abilene.

But being the true nocturnal creatures they are, Abilene's bats finally came alive against the WhiteWings as the Prairie Dogs rallied for a 7-3 victory Wednesday at Scott Field.

Paul Gonzalez delivered a two-run single in the sixth and Manny Gagliano ripped a two-out, run-scoring single in the seventh to lift the Prairie Dogs to their 10th win of the season in 17 outings.

David Haas, 2-2, picked up the win with a solid 7 2/3 innings of work. He was touched up for two runs in the first before settling down to shut out the WhiteWings the next 6 2/3 innings.

Prairie Dog relief pitcher Brian Dunne got a crucial final out in the eighth and Ken Winkle pitched a scoreless ninth as Abilene captured the second game of the three-game set.

"It was a fastball," Gonzalez said of his game-winning hit. "He had started off Jack (Johnson) with a curve ball, and I was just looking fastball and took it to left.

"It didn't feel real good when I hit it, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. We hadn't hit the ball well last night and early in this game. But there's too many good bats on this club to keep us down for too long."

The Prairie Dogs trailed 2-1 entering the decisive sixth inning in which Abilene scored three runs.
Scott Bethea led off with a bunt single down the third-base line and Gagliano was then hit by a pitch. Prairie Dog leftfielder Rod Brewer followed by ripping a double to the gap in left-center to tie the game at 2-2.

Paul Coleman bounced out and Jack Johnson struck out, but Paul Gonzalez slapped his two-out, two-run single just past the reach of Valley shortstop Lipso Nava to drive in two runs for a 4-2 Prairie Dog lead.

The Prairie Dog advantage swelled to 5-2 in the seventh when Eric Gonzalez singled to right, was bunted to second and scored on Gagliano's single to center.

Haas got in a jam in the eighth and allowed one run before Prairie Dog manager Phil Stephenson summoned Brian Dunne from the bullpen and Dunne fanned Luke Oglesby for the final out of the inning as the Prairie Dogs escaped further damage.

Abilene added two insurance runs in the eighth inning on a walk to Coleman, an opposite field double by Paul Gonzalez, a squeeze bunt by Scott Malone and an error on Valley third baseman Joey Martinez.

The Prairie Dogs' other run came in the fourth on a two-out double by Coleman and Jack Johnson's line single to left that reduced the Valley's lead to 2-1 at the time.

The WhiteWings' two first-inning runs came as the result of Steve Grandizio's single, a double by Ramon Cedeno and two Prairie Dog errors.

Haas was a little shaky in the early innings, but got some help defensively with double plays to work his way out of potential big innings for the WhiteWings.

"They put it to us last night and they started out like they were going to do it tonight," Haas said. "I knew if I held us in the ballgame that our bats would come around.

"I really didn't feel in control of my pitches, and you really have to expand the strike zone on these guys because they can hit the ball to all fields.

"I fully expected Phil (Stephenson) to come get me in the eighth. Brian's (Dunne) been pretty effective lately and he got a big out in the eighth."

Prairie Dog centerfielder Darryl Monroe made a spectacular diving catch in shallow center to rob the Valley's Grandizio of a hit in the ninth and Monroe then caught a routine fly for the final out of the game.