he Brooks Bombers hosted the Edmonton Prospects on thrusday night for the first of three weekend games at Elks Field. Leeroy Taverez would once again get the Call for Brooks while Holden Holditch would make his first career WCBL start.
Both Pitchers would retire the side in order during a scoreless first inning. In the top of the second Ryan Kucy and Nick Hagen each sent one out singles up the middle. Taverez was able to get out of the jam however as he stranded them on base after a fly out and a ground out respectivly ended the top half. In the bottom hald Zander Bretza got the first hit for the Bomber with a double. With two outs Maddox Shaver singled but both runners would get stranded as Dylan Bordayo was unable to cash in this time.
In the bottom of the third the Bombers finally got to Holditch. Jack Walter lead off with a walk, D’Andre Gaines smacked a double off the left field wall setting up a second and third one out situation. Holditch was then called for a balk advancing the runners and scoring Walters to get the Bombers on the board. Antony Gilbert then plated Gaines with a sacrifice fly.
Timo Aracena would lead off the fourth inning in a big way with a solo homerun to get the Prospects within one. Taverez would shut the door however and that would be the extent of the damage. The bottom half was a big one for the Bombers. Zander Bretza lead off with another double, Nate King reached on an error and Maddox Shaver walked setting up Dylan Bordayo with the bases loaded. The catcher send a flare over the Second baseman’s head that dropped and scored a pair of runs. Gaines once again reached base this time due to an error that scored another run. Antoyn Gilbert and Nate King each finnished off the scoring with RBI singles of their own as the Bombers scored six to break the game open.
Taverez would strand a pari of Prospects in the fifth and record a 1-2-3 sixth inning to end his start. The Snyder Texas native went six innings giving up one earned on five hits while striking out six.
“He struggled at time this season but has made so much progress, this is the Leeroy Taverez I scouted,” said Pitching Coach Jake Zettel.
Both teams would go scoreless until the bottom of the eight when Brooks once again opened the flood gates. Gaines got it started with a solo homerun followed by Gilbert, Bretza and King each hitting singles. With one away Maddox Shaver had the bases loaded and sent one to the left center gap that got knocked down by the strong winds and hit off the wall but only scored a run and kept the bases loaded. Dylan Bordayo stepped up and doubled scoring two more runs. Jack Walter would cap off the big inning with a three run homerun for his first hit as a Bomber.
Vince Ray would finnish the game off with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to secure the big win for Brooks. The Bombers bats where a force all night long.
“We used the whole field tonight, it was fun to watch tonight,” said Head Coach Dan Morgan.
The Bombers will have their only friday off day of the season, something the team certainly doesnt mind.
“The off day is huge for us, it will help reset our bullpen for the rest of the year as we push for the Playoffs,” said Morgan.
The Bombers finnish off the weekend with a pair of home games, Medicine Hat on Saturday and the same Edmonton Prospects on Sunday. Brooks is just one game back of the Fort McMurray Giants for the final playoff spot. Tickets are just $10 for the remainder of the season. We hope to see you at Elks Field!