Gold Sox blow out Scorch

Sunday, June 12, 2004 - After a 10-inning win over the Sacramento Scorch a day earlier, the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox turned Sunday's contest into a laugher, sweeping the visitors 12-4 in the two-game Horizon Air Summer Series set.

Gold Sox first baseman A.J. Valentine hit his second home run of the year - a shot into the right-center field gap in the third inning - and scored four runs, while Jesse Rodgers had three RBIs in the Gold Sox sixth straight win.

The Gold Sox improved to 9-3 on the year, 7-2 in the summer series.

Matt Huff improved to 1-1 with the Gold Sox, throwing five innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs. He fanned six and walked four.

The Gold Sox batted around the order in the bottom of the first inning, thumping Scorch starting pitcher Scott Halverstadt for five runs on four hits. Halverstadt lasted 31/3 innings, allowing nine hits on nine runs while walking four and striking out two.

Jason Searle pushed his team-leading RBI total to 14 after a three-run double in the first. Contreras pushed home a run with a double down the line in left, and Zach Wiedenaar brought home Contreras with a single.

Valentine's lead off homer in the second gave Yuba-Sutter a 6-0 lead. He is hitting .444 with the team.

The Gold Sox scored three more in the fourth. Rodgers brought home Searle and Valentine with a double, then later scored on an error.

Valentine came home in the fifth after Rodgers was hit with the bases loaded.

Matt Vance - who joined the team this weekend after finishing his season at Harvard University last week - continued to contribute, hitting a two-run double in the ninth to give the Gold Sox the 12-3 advantage.

The Gold Sox will hit the road for the first time this year on Tuesday, traveling to Vacaville for a single contest against the Solano Thunderbirds at Travis Credit Union Park.

The Gold Sox swept the Thunderbirds in a two-game set at All Seasons RV Stadium on Thursday and Friday. They were 0-4 in Vacaville last year.