Wed Jul 16 22:52:34 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Six-run ninth key as PCL escapes with win in Triple-A All-Star game

---

Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Matthew Brown and Mark Saccomanno's back-to- back RBI hits highlighted a six-run ninth inning which propelled the Pacific Coast League over their International League counterparts, 6-5, at the Triple- A All-Star game from Louisville Slugger Field.

Shut out after eight innings and down by two, the PCL struck back with six runs in the top of the ninth to go ahead by four.

Against Blaine Neal, Nick Stavinoha singled, and moved up on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Nelson Cruz walked then Jamie D'Antona smacked a line single to right to score the PCL's first run.

Brown laced a base hit up the middle to tie the game, then Saccomanno followed with his own RBI hit to push the PCL ahead by one. Oswaldo Navarro reached on an error which scored Brown for a 4-2 game, and Garrett Mock was called in for Neal.

A.J. Ellis greeted him with a double to plate Saccomanno and Navarro, but Mock retired the next two batters to limit the damage.

In the home half, Luis Pena made things interesting. He allowed consecutive singles by Brian Bixler and Joe Thurston, then Andrew McCutchen's sacrifice fly made it 6-3. After Mike Hessman went down swinging, Chris Carter of Pawtucket stepped in and drilled a two-run homer to dead center which got the International within a run.

However, Jonathan Van Every lifted an easy fly to right for the final out.

Brown and Saccomanno each collected two hits for the PCL, which broke a two- game losing skid in the mid-summer test. Pena won despite allowing three hits and three runs over 1 1/3 relief innings.

Thurston picked up three hits for the International League. McCutchen drove in two runs while Hessman also knocked in a run. Neal suffered the loss and a blown save, charged with four hits and six runs -- five earned -- over one- third of an inning.

The contest remained scoreless until the seventh, when the International League scored a pair of runs on McCutchen's single and Hessman's groundout.