LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Danny Angel,

( LAREDO, TX) -RHP Matt Gibbs goes seven plus innings allowing only three hits and a run, while the Broncos (22-27) offense bangs out sixteen hits and ten runs in support. The Broncos defeated the Coastal Bend Thunder (19-29) in the series finale by a score of 10-6.

RHP Matt Gibbs (3-1) made his second start of the season against the Thunder in the series finale. Coastal Bend sent RHP Carlos Rangel (4-4) to the mound against the Broncos.

Gibbs retired the first eight batters he faced in the ball game, until two out in the top of the third Mike Lewis singled. Dustin Smith, the Thunder lead-off man then singled to score Lewis from second base after a passed ball moved Lewis to second; 1-0 Thunder. 

The Broncos offense didn’t let Matt Gibbs down; in the bottom of the third Jason Diaz reached on an infield single and then stole second base.  A Carlos Arroyo groundout moved Diaz to third base and Kenny Gilbert knocked him in with a sacrifice Fly to tie the game at 1-1.

After Gibbs retired the Thunder in order in the top of the fourth the Broncos added another run to take the lead.  With two outs Ryan Flynn singled.  Mike Murphy then singled and Flynn moved to third base.  While Jason Diaz was batting a passed ball was charged to Kevin Butler and Flynn was able to score the Broncos second run of the game.

Gibbs turned in another 1-2-3 top of the fifth to get the Broncos back into the dugout.  The offense kept putting up runs on the board. After Kenny Gilbert reached on an error, Salvador Paniagua hit a two run home run; his second home run in as many days, to give the Broncos a 4-1 lead.

Gibbs stranded the bases full of Thunder in the top of the sixth and the Broncos bats answered again.  With two outs and the bases empty Carlos Arroyo singled.  Kenny Gilbert picked up RBI number 49 of the season with a double and the lead was 5-1 Broncos.  Thunder manager Al Gallagher went the bullpen and brought in RHP Tyler Friese (1-0). 

Rangel, the starter for the Thunder threw 5.2 innings and allowed twelve hits and six runs (four earned), he walked two and struck out two while taking his fourth loss of the year.

Salvador Paniagua reached on n error against Friese and Gilbert scored from second base to give the Broncos the 6-1 lead.

Gibbs retired the Thunder in order in the top of the seventh, the fifth time in seven innings he accomplished that and came out of the game in the eighth.  Gibbs threw 7.2 innings allowing three hits, one run (earned), he walked three and struck out seven en route to picking up win number three on the year.

In the bottom of the eighth against Friese the Broncos blew the game wide open.  A single by Diaz started the inning when Carlos Arroyo brought him in with a double to make the score 7-1 Broncos.  After a pop out by Gilbert, Friese walked Panaiagua and Cisneros to load the bases before D.J Dixon knocked them all in with a double to give the Broncos the 10-1 lead heading to the top of the ninth.

The Thunder made it interesting, sending nine men to the plate in the top of the ninth and scoring five runs.  A solo home run by Lamar Guy, a two run single by Fenwick and a two run double by Ventura plated all five runs, but the Thunder fell to the Broncos 10-6 in the series finale

WP: Gibbs (3-1)

LP: Rangel (4-4)

S: None