21/07/2010 09:11
 Box Score, Game 1
Box Score, Game 2
The two hour drive from McKinney to Kilgore may be one of the shortest trips for the McKinney Marshals, but in 2010, it has hardly been the easiest.
The East Texas Pump Jacks were inhospitable hosts again Wednesday night, sweeping a doubleheader from the Marshals at historic Driller Park. The Jacks raced to a 5-1 victory in the opener, then held on for a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
The pair of wins allowed East Texas to take over sole possession of first place in the second half with an 8-3 record. The Pump Jacks hold a half-game lead over the Brazos Valley Bombers in the race for the second-half title and home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Jacks fans and the Boys & Girls Club also came out winners on the night. The double-dip at Driller wasn’t originally on the Pump Jacks’ schedule; the two games were scheduled to be played in McKinney on Monday and Tuesday. When facility conflicts forced the games to be relocated, East Texas turned the evening into a fundraising effort for the Boys & Girls Club. All fans were invited to attend for free if they made a donation of any amount to the Boys & Girls Club.
Not in a giving mood was Tyler Mack, who threw a complete game in the first contest after East Texas staked him to a lead with three runs in the third inning. Chris Larsen, Miguel Pena, Chase Adams and Dusty Ross shut down the Marshals in the second game.
Mack dominated the first five innings, allowing just two hits, before having some trouble in the sixth frame. The first hitter reached on an error, followed by three singles sandwiched around a strikeout to bring home the unearned run. With the bases loaded, Mack induced a grounder to third base. Bryan Peters grabbed the ball and stepped on third base before throwing to first to complete the inning-ending double play.
Mack finished the seven-inning complete game with six hits allowed and four strikeouts for his second win. He made quick work of the Marshals, helping complete the game in just under two hours.
The Jacks put Mack ahead for good in the third inning. Lee Orr led off with a double to right-center field before stealing third base. Matt Carvutto was hit by a pitch before Zac Fisher grounded slowly to first base as the bat shattered. Fisher was out, but Carvutto moved up and Orr scored the first run of the game. Peters followed with a walk and combined with Carvutto on a double steal. Singles by Aaron McCain and Brandon Wood drove in Carvutto and Peters, respectively, and the Pump Jacks had a 3-0 lead.
Blake Ellender scored a run in the fourth inning. After walking, he advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ellender stole third base and then came home on another wild toss.
The fifth frame started with a Peters double, but he landed on third after an errant throw back to the infield. Another wild pitch brought Peters home for the insurmountable 5-0 lead.
After a twenty-minute break between games, East Texas again jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap. In the first inning, Orr singled ahead of a Carvutto double, and Fisher brought Orr across with an infield single. Fisher now leads the TCL with 23 RBI.
After Peters walked, Russell LaFleur got into the act with a double to left-center field to score both Carvutto and Fisher for a 3-0 advantage. LaFleur’s double was the fourth hit of the inning, and though it was the final hit of the game for the Pump Jacks, it would be enough.
Larsen allowed just a single through 2.2 innings, then he got squeezed by two hits and three walks. Pena came on after the Marshals had closed to 3-2 and were threatening more with the bases loaded and two outs. The highly-touted prospect didn’t disappoint, working out of the jam on his way to two strikeouts in two scoreless innings of work.
Adams pitched two shutout frames while setting two down on strikes before giving way to Ross for the seventh and final frame. The Pump Jacks’ closer did his job, getting two K’s in his perfect inning for his eighth save of the year.
After days off Wednesday and Thursday, the Jacks return home for a single game – and a singularly fantastic promotion: Fireworks Friday, presented by KLTV News. Once again, the Pump Jacks will light up the night sky with an incredible fireworks display, set to a new soundtrack. This is the fourth of five fireworks shows this summer, so if you haven’t seen one yet, time is running out!
Pump Jacks Nation is now on Facebook! Visit the East Texas Pump Jacks official team page on Facebook to follow all the news and gossip about the Pump Jacks, post your thoughts on the Jacks 2010 season, upload photos, and interact with other fans. Plus, the Jacks will post specials and discounts just for the Facebook community on the page! Click the link on the left side of the Pump Jacks web site or at the top of every news article on the site, and join Pump Jacks Nation on Facebook!
To follow all Pump Jacks news, including player awards, game stories and promotions, log on to the team’s official Website at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. |
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