Fort Wayne Wizards at Battle Creek Yankees
April 13th, 2004
| Fort Wayne |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
3 |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
9 |
11 |
1 |
| Battle Creek |
|
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
6 |
3 |
E-Adams, Duncan, Santos, Robles, LOB FW-7, BC-8, 2B-Ramos, Cabrera, HR-Morton, SB-Ramos, Harris, CS-Ciriaco
WP-Klatt
T-2:47, A-660
Battle Creek Enquirer
Howie Magner
The Battle Creek Yankees gave fans a dollar for showing up to Tuesday night's game, but they couldn't give them an accompanying victory.
Instead, Fort Wayne claimed it's first win of the season turning 11 hits and three Yankees errors into a 9-3 triumph at C.O. Brown Stadium.
Some 660 fans, taking advantage of a promotion that granted free tickets and a $1 bill to everyone who showed up, braved temperatures in the mid 40s to watch the game.
"That's pretty crazy," Yankee starting pitcher Tyler Clippard said of the promtion. "Im suprised there weren't more fans. I'd be here for a dollar."
Still it was the biggest crown for which the 19 year old had ever pitched as the right hander's only previous expierence included gamed in high school and the rookie Gulf Coast League.
"It was an awesome experience, pitching in front of a crowd for my first time," said Clippard, who lost despite allowing just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. "In the GCL last year, we maybe had 20 fans a game."
As for this game it turned on Fort Wayne's three run sixth inning.
The Yankees, courtesy of Willie Vasquez's two run first inning single and a third inning RBI single by Omir Santos, took a 3-2 lead into the sixth frame. But after Clippard (0-1) got the first out, errors by Eric Duncan, Santos and Luis Robles led to three unearned Wizards runs, and the Yanks never recovered.
"You've got to play better defensixely. We can't give them more than three outs." said Battle Creek manager Mitch Seoane, whose team fell to 1-4. "We jus threw the ball around. it got them back in the game, got the momentum on their side and that was it."
Fort Wayne (1-4) put the game away in the seventh, going ahead 9-3 with four runs on six singles against reliever Chris Kemlo.
Wizards starter Daniel Moore (1-0) got the win despite some early shakiness. After giving up the two first inning runs, Moore was in deep trouble in the third, loading the bases with nobody out on Melky Cabrera's double. Hector Made's infield hit and a single by Duncan.
Santos got one of the runs home with his infield hit, but Moore recovered to strike out Bryce Kartler and get Vasquez to hit a 3-0 pitch into an inning ending double play.
"We had a chance to break it open," said Seoane. "I gave Willie the 3-0 hit and it just didn't work out. If he gets that ball up and hits a double it could be a different game."
Made finished 2 for 4 with a run. Fort Wayne's Jordan Pickens was 2 for 5 with two RBIs and Colt Morton added a solo home run for the Wizards.