Broncos lose regular season finale; finish a franchise record 47-44
Written by admin, Aug 31, 2010, 0 Comments
Courtesy Danny Angel,
(August 30th, LAREDO, TX)-The Broncos (47-44) finished the 2010 regular season in the loss column falling to Coastal Bend Thunder (31-60) 11-7 in the regular season finale. Laredo now turns its attention towards the 2010 ULB playoffs and specifically the Edinburg Road Runners. No matter what happens in the post season the 2010 season for the Laredo Broncos was truly a memorable one.
The Broncos held a half game lead over the Rio Grande Valley White Wings for third place in the United league. The playoff match-ups already decided, the Broncos were playing for home field advantage in the championship round should they match-up against the White Wings. Laredo sent LHP Brian Buchanan (6-5) to the mound to face off against LHP Doug Brandt (5-7).
Neither team scored in the first inning, the Thunder stranding the bases loaded against Buchanan and the Broncos stranding runners at first and second against Brandt.
Coastal Bend broke through in the top of the second. Back to back doubles off Buchanan brought home the first run of the game for the Thunder. Dustin Smith then reached on an infield single and a throwing error by Buchanan allowed Johnson to score and moved Smith all the way to third base. Lamar Guy then brought home Smith with an RBI single the Thunder led 3-0.
The Broncos scratched out two runs in the bottom of the third against Brandt. Murphy led off with a single and was put out 5-4 on the Pacheco fielders choice. A throwing error on the play moved Pacheco to second base. Salvador Paniagua singled to move Pacheco to third base and Jonathen Cisneros brought home Pacheco with a sacrifice fly and Nick Mahin brought home Jose Canseco, who walked, to make it a 3-2 Thunder lead.
Buchanan got dinged for three more runs in the top of the fourth. Dustin Smith walked, Lamar Guy singled and a throwing error by right fielder Carlos Arroyo allowed Smith to score from third and give the Thunder a 4-2 lead. Mike Lewis dropped down a sacrifice bunt and Ron Fenwick brought home Guy with an RBI single. Buchanan walked Gianican Rosa, the last batter he faced and gave way to RHP James Maxwell (1-0). Maxwell hit patty Matera and Travis Adams hit a sacrifice fly to score Fenwick and give the Thunder a 6-2 lead.
Lamar Guy hit a three run homer run, his eighth of the year off Maxwell in the top of the fifth to push the Thunder lead to 9-2, scoring Johnson who singled and Smith, who reached on a fielder’s choice.
Salvador Paniagua reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth. A Cisneros single moved him to second base and a single by Arroyo moved Paniagua to third base. Paniagua the scored on a wild pitch charged to Doug Brandt and the score was 9-3 Thunder.
A two run homer off the bat of Carl Johnson in the top of the sixth pushed the Thunder lead to 11-3.
The Broncos made a push in the bottom of the ninth against LHP Frank James (4-8). Doug Thennis who entered in the top of the eighth homered, his tenth of the year to make it 11-4 Thunder.
RHP Robert Roth, who started last nights ball game came into the game in the top of the seventh and retired all nine batters he faced, striking out five.
The Broncos made a push in the bottom of the ninth, scoring four runs. Doug Thennis hit his tent home run of the year to make it 11-4 Thunder. Two singles and an RBI double later it was 11-5 Thunder. Ryan Flynn brought home a run with a single to make it 11-6 and Mike Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to score the final run of the ball game for the Broncos. Coastal Bend closes out their season with an 11-7 victory over the Broncos.
WP: Brandt (5-7)
LP: Buchanan (6-5)
S: None
