Salinas sends Yuba-Sutter packing

Thursday, July 29, 2005 - SALINAS - Not even staff ace Tyler Pearson could lift the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox on the road.

Pearson (7-2), coming off a complete-game, two-hit win over the Solano Thunderbirds last Thursday, allowed three triples in the Salinas Valley Packers' five-run third inning and took his first loss since June 3, 6-3, on Wednesday afternoon.

The Packers (34-20, 27-10) swept the two-game Horizon Air Summer Series set and won four of five on the season.

The Gold Sox (30-13, 26-9) are just 1-6 on the road with their final trip Tuesday at Solano.

The Packers' Salinas Municipal Stadium gave the Gold Sox outfield problems. The deep dimensions - 350 feet down the left-field line, 401 feet to center and 335 feet to right - contributed to the Packers' three triples, and they also had two doubles as part of their six-hit effort.

“With the bigger field, there is a chance for more extra-base hits in the gap or down the line,” Gold Sox manager Brad Peek said. “The outfielders usually play shallower in college ball and we try to take away the bloop hits or bleeders, and unfortunately, (Salinas) had three that got by us.”

Anthony Hernandez got the Packers going with the first triple, a shot to the wall in right-center. Jordan Ballard was hit by Pearson, and John Allman cleared the bases with a three-bagger into the left-field corner. Carl Bacon walked and Ryan Schmidgall completed the five-run inning with his triple over left fielder Billy Sincacori.

0002000007F8000006077F2,Pearson then hit a batter before retiring the next seven he faced. Pearson gave up a lead-off double to Bacon, who later scored on a ground-out in the sixth.

“Tyler just got the ball up two

or three times and the hit batters compounded that,” Peek said. “He pitched exceptionally well other than that inning.”

Pearson lasted seven innings, allowing six earned runs on five hits, striking out five, walking two and hitting two.

The Gold Sox made a short run at the Packers' lead in the sixth, scoring two runs off starter and winning pitcher Matt Wickstadt.

Billy Sinacori's second double of the game one-hopped the wall in straight-away center, bringing Greg Thomas, who walked with one out, home from first. Mike Wilkes singled home Sincacori with his second hit of the game, cutting the lead to 5-3.

Wickstadt got help from Ballard in right when the Gold Sox threatened to tie it with Wilkes at third and Matt Vance at second. Jesse Rodgers hit a shot to deep right, but Ballard hustled back and made an over-the-shoulder diving catch toward the wall, ending the inning and the threat.

“That was a phenomenal catch and probably Jesse's best hit ball all year,” Peek said. “If (Ballard) didn't make that catch, it could be a tie ball game and Jesse is on third with A.J. (Valentine) up. Then, who knows what could happen.”

Wickstadt left the game after the inning, allowing three runs, eight hits, while fanning three, walking two and hitting a batter. Glen Wood picked up the save, throwing on pitch in the ninth inning.

The Gold Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third inning after Wickstadt loaded the bases and allowed a two-out RBI-infield single down the line at third, bringing Wilkes home. Wickstadt got Jason Searle to fly out, ending the threat.

Notes: Valentine extended his hitting streak to eight games with a first-inning single to right. ... The Gold Sox will return home to face the Suisun City Sultans today in the first of a four-game series. The first three games will count in the Horizon Air Summer Series standings.