Announcement
Four Nationals pitchers combined for a one-hitter, facing only 25 batters in eight innings, one over the mininum, to score a 7-0 shut out of the Americans in the 18AAA All Star game at Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach. The game was called after eight innings when a sudden, torrential rain storm swept in from the East. The Americans' only hit, a clean single to left by Vinnie Intagliata off Danny LaPerna in the second, spoiled a no-hit bid by LaPerna (Thunder), Tony Amatucci (Brewers) and Josh Daws and Mike Jordan (both South Florida Beach Bums). LaPerna struck out five of the ten batters he faced in three innings to gain the win. Amatucci set the Americans down in order in both of his innings. Daws fanned four of the six batters he faced in his two innings of work, and Jordan notched one strikeout in his one inning on the mound. After Intagliata's single, the Nationals' hurlers set down 19 batters in a row, winding up with ten strikeouts.
LaPerna, who was selected as the game's MVP, not only set the tone of the game on the mound, but collected two hits, including an RBI double. Ricky Dominguez (Wellington Twins) also had two hits and drove in two runs. Jimmy Efre (Thunder) had a single and stole three bases. Clayton Joiner (Beach Bums) doubled to left to highlight a four run sixth inning. Eddie Vazquez (Twins), Amatucci, Daws and Jordan also collected a hit each, and Dave Salley (Beach Bums) added a sacrifice fly. Vasquez drove in a run with an infield out. The Americans used five pitchers---Rob Ellsmiller and Rick Schnur, both from the Leones, Mark McElmeel (Royals), Drew Davis (White Sox) and Victor Prieto (Chamos). Ellsmiller took the loss, giving up only an unearned run in the second. He struck out Max Johnson (Thunder), but a passed ball allowed Johnson to reach first. He stole second, went to third on an infield out and scored on Vasquez' roller to first.
NATIONALS RALLY TO BEAT AMERICANS IN AA GAME
The National All Star team comprised of players from the Pirates, Team Akadema, Braves, Dodgers and Marlins spotted the Americans two runs before rallying to win 4-2 at Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach Wednesday night. Emilio Vargas (Pirates) singled home the first run for the Nationals in the fifth inning after walks to Troy Sorrells and Rick Mullan (both from the Dodgers).
After a double play appeared to have stopped the Nationals, Vargas got his team's first hit to score the run. The Nationals rallied for two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth. An infield error allowed Mike Farrell (Pirates) to score the tying run, after he led off the inning with a walk and a steal of second base. David Lopez (Akadema) scored what proved to be the deciding run when he reached on the error, moved up on a single by Trent Phipps (Akadema) and an RBI hit by Kelvin Jimenez, also of Team Akadema. They added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th on a single by the Marlins' lone representative, Domenick DeSantis, a force out and two wild pitches.
The American squad, made up of players from the league runnerup Glory Days, Sugar Kings, Orioles, Blades and Tigers scored an unearned run in the second inning when Joe Perez (Sugar Kings) reached second base on an infield throwing error, stole second and third. They added another run in the fourth on an RBI hit by Philippe Costa (Orioles) scoring Nestor Sanjurjo (Sugar Kings), who singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.
They missed a chance to score a third run in the fifth when Michael Espinosa (Tigers) was thrown out at the plate on a single by Chris Snow (Orioles). The throw from the outfield, which would have been off target, hit Espinosa and caromed to Pirates pitcher Damon Gammons, who tagged a surprised Espinosa out after backing up the errant throw at the plate. Will Ford (Braves) got the win in relief with two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and a base hit of his own. He was chosen as the game's Most Valuable Player, and will receive an NABA All Star MVP plaque. The loss went to Glory Days' infielder Brian Barnes, who was pressed into service on the mound because of a lack of pitching by the Americans. Both runs allowed by Barnes were unearned. Sorrells was brilliant in relief, striking out four in two hitless innings to earn the save.
