Yuba-Sutter sweeps Expos
Sunday, July 10, 2005 - Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox ace Tyler Pearson wasn't exactly dominating, but it didn't matter against the woeful Oakland Expos Sunday night at All Seasons RV Stadium.
Pearson (5-1) struggled with his control but pitched well enough to pick up his team-leading fifth victory through five innings of work, and the Gold Sox swept the Expos after an easy 8-2 Horizon Air Summer Series win.
The Gold Sox have now won four straight after a 14-1 beating by the Solano Thunderbirds on Wednesday in Vacaville and will have three days off after finishing a stretch of playing nine games in 10 days.
“It feels good,” Gold Sox manager Brad Peek said about the win streak. “We are in a battle for the Summer Series lead and this put us ahead a little and now we have three days off. I hope when we come back on Thursday, we will still be on top.”
The Gold Sox (23-9, 20-6) lead the Solano Thunderbirds by a game in the Don McCullough Division of the Summer Series. The Expos (1-20, 1-12) are buried at the bottom of the Engelken Division.
Pearson scattered five hits and walked seven while striking out five. He loaded the bases in the second inning but got out of the jam after right fielder Greg Thomas made a sliding grab to end the inning, saving at least one run. He pitched out of another jam in the fourth with one out and runners at second and third.
“Tyler struggled, but he struggled through it,” Peek said. “His rhythm was off and he never got in a groove. He was worried about the mound not being right early and was not totally focused.”
Wes Porter worked the sixth and Steve Alverson allowed the Expos only runs, pitching the seventh. Jason Peters pitched flawless eighth and ninth innings to continue his dominance in short relief.
Cole Koester was solid at the plate all weekend, finishing the series 7-for-10 and raising his average to a season-high .258. He was 3-for-4 with a two-run single to finish the series.
The sophomore out of Quincy University in Illinois was hitting in the low .100s but has found a groove.
“He's been working at it and making adjustments,” Peek said. “He is waiting instead of lunging at pitches and is seeing the ball better. He has started to keep his hands back and is finally hitting balls to the outfield and through the infield.”
The Expos used a patch-work lineup through most of the series, adding new players daily, including a pair of Yuba-Sutter products.
Daniel Hayes of Marysville High and Yuba College played third base and was 0-for-2. He also came on to pitch in the eighth inning, giving up a hit, walking a batter and allowing Yuba-Sutter's eighth run.
Kyle Matson out of Faith Christian struck out to end the seventh in his only at-bat and assisted on a 4-6-3 double play in the eighth.
Jason Searle recorded his 24th and 25th RBIs of the season, and the Gold Sox opened their lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning. Searle clubbed a double off the wall in left to score Jesse Rodgers, who had walked, and A.J. Valentine, who had been hit by a pitch.
The Gold Sox went up 5-0 with a pair of runs in the third. Searle reached on his first single of the night and later scored on an error. Billy Sinacori came home from third after the Expos tried to throw out a stealing Koester at second.
Koester's two-RBI single gave the Gold Sox a 3-0 in the first, when they sent nine hitters to the plate against Expos starting pitcher Matt Blanchard. Searle and Mike Wilkes each walked to reach base and scored on Koester's hit.
Valentine doubled to the top of the wall in the right-center gap in the first and later scored on an error. It was Valentine's team-leading 11th double of the year.
