Sox back in first-place tie in CCL
Close games are nothing new for the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox and the San Luis Obispo Blues
The Gold Sox and Blues have played eight times in two years and six of the eight have been decided by three runs or less. The latest was host San Luis Obispo's 5-2 win Wednesday night in the California Coastal League.
The loss drops Yuba-Sutter (15-4, 7-3) back into a first-place tie with the Santa Barbara Foresters in the CCL. The Blues (4-5) are three games back of first.
San Luis Obispo only picked up five hits, but the Blues made them count.
Matt Frick (3-1) notched the win, going 62/3 innings and allowing two runs. Craig Ayers (2-1) suffered the loss for the Gold Sox, who snapped a four-game winning streak. Matt McLevich picked up his second save.
San Luis Obispo only led 3-2 but scored two key insurance runs in the eighth when Jimmy Van Ostrand and Kirk Gross had RBI singles against Gold Sox reliever Logan Ardis.
The Gold Sox took a 2-0 lead against Frick in the third. Frank Jeney reached on a bunt hit to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second by Kyle Maunus.
With two outs, R.C. Dickerson singled to center to score Jeney. Dickerson then scored on a hit-and-run single from Cameron Shick.
Ayers was cruising along until the fifth when he walked three consecutive batters with one out. He struck out Carlton Wilder for the second out, but Brian Conradi tripled to center to clear the bases and give his team the lead at 3-2.
Wes Porter entered the game and retired David Lamar to end the inning. Porter faced seven batters and retired all of them before giving way to Ardis.
The Gold Sox and Blues have split their eight meetings the last two years. They play for the final time July 25 in Marysville.
Yuba-Sutter opens a four-game homestand against the Sacramento Legends and San Francisco Seals beginning today.
Gold Sox manager Brad Peek said Eric Thompson (2-1, 1.27) will start on the mound today. Either Jason Searle (2-1, 1.69) or Ardis will start Friday with Vince DeCoito (0-1, 3.12) slated for Saturday against the Seals.
The Appeal-Democrat sports department can be reached at 743-0512. You may e-mail the editor at eric_vodden@link.freedom.com.
