RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

NATIONALS DOWN AMERICANS 9-3 IN 18AAA ALL STAR GAME A pair of big innings carried the Nationals to a 9-3 victory over the Americans in the 18AAA League’s spring All Star game at the Lantana Sports Complex on Thursday, June 23, 2004. The Nationals took the lead with a three run first inning. After Emilio Vargas (Twins) led off the game by reaching on an error and stealing second, his Twins’ teammate Melvin Bruno, singled him in. Matt Bautz (Indians) clouted a double to right field, scoring Bruno. Bautz moved to third on an infield hit by Diego Santos (Twins) and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Ricky Dominguez (Twins). The Nationals added four more in the fourth. Vargas singled, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on Bautz’s RBI single past third base. Another error and a walk loaded the bases for Francis Dinzey, who smacked a two run single to right to score Bautz and Santos, and Dominguez scored when the throw from the outfield skipped past the catcher. The Americans cracked through with an unearned run in the fourth inning on a two out single by the Pirates’ Perry Menschel. That scored Jason Alice (Boynton Red Sox) who had walked and took second on a passed ball. The Nationals got that run back in the fifth when Billy Campbell (Indians) doubled and scored on a single by Indians’ teammate Duane Cyr. Blake Rus (Rockets) doubled to lead off the sixth for the Americans and scored on a single by the Rockets’ Mike Draper. The Americans posted another run in the seventh on a double steal by the Boynton Red Sox’ Chris Barulic (Home) and Aaron Hancock (second base). Barulic singled, moved to second when Jason Russianoff (Glory Days) was hit by a pitch and advanced to third when Hancock hit into a fielder’s choice putting runners at the corners. The Nationals closed out the scoring in the eighth on a double by Dinzey and an RBI single by team manager Nelson Sanchez (Twins). Dinzey was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player. He was two for three with a double and two run single. He also had four putouts and three assists at shortstop, starting a double play, and pitched the final inning for the Nationals, striking out the side. Bautz also had a fine game with a double and a single, both of them driving in a run. Vargas had one hit and two steals for the Nationals. Bruno, Santos, Sanchez, Campbell, Cyr and Jim Oberdier (Rockhounds) had one apiece. Seven different players, five of them from the Rockets, had one hit apiece for the Americans. Billy Brescia, Nestor Sanjurjo, Brian Fitzsimmons, Rus (double), and Draper (RBI) had one apiece, with Menschel (RBI) and Barulic getting one each. Pete Fuster (Twins) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory. He was followed to the mound for two innings each by Marino Vasquez (Los Tigres), Dave Caruthers (Rockhounds) and one each by Jared Green (Indians), Bruno and Dinzey. Draper pitched the first two innings and took the loss. Chris Zehetmaier (Red Sox), Matt Schnelly (Pirates), and Menschel (Pirates) worked to innings apiece, and Willie Martinez (Rockets) pitched one. NATIONALS (9)--Emilio Vargas (Twins) 1-3, 2 runs; Melvin Bruno (Twins) 1-3, run, one RBI, one strikeout; Matt Bautz (Indians) 2-3, double, single, two RBIs, 2 runs scored; Diego Santos (Twins) 1-2, run, base on balls; Ricky Dominguez (Twins) 0-1, run, RBI, base on balls; Francis Dinzey (Los Tigres) 2-3, double, single, run, two RBIs; Jared Green (Indians) 0-3; Ariel Rodriguez (Los Tigres) 0-2, base on balls; Nelson Sanchez (Twins) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Bill Campbell (Indians) 1-3, double, run, one strikeout; Duane Cyr (Indians) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Jim Oberdier (Duffy's Rockhounds) 1-2, base on balls; Dave Caruthers (Duffy's Rockhounds) 0-2, one strikeout; Pete Fuster (Twins) 0-3, two strikeouts); Marino Vasquez (Los Tigres) 0-2, two srikeouts. NATIONALS TOTALS 11-38, 9 RUNS, 8 RBIS, FOUR BASES ON BALLS, NINE STRIKEOUTS. AMERICANS (3)--Aaron Hancock (Orioles) 0-3; Billy Brescia (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, two strikeouts; Nestor Sanjurjo (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-2, base on balls; Brian Fitzsimmons (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-2, base on balls; Willie Martinez (Bru's Room Rockets) 0-3; Blake Rus (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, double, run, two strikeouts; Brad Barbaccia (Orioles) 0-3, one strikeout; Chris Zehetmaier 0-1; Mike Draper (Bru's Room Rockets) 1-3, RBI, one strikeout; Derek Kuryliw (Boynton Red Sox) 0-3, one strikeout; Jason Alice (Red Sox) 0-0, run, two bases on balls; Matt Schnelly (Pirates) 0-2, one strikeout; Perry Menschel (Pirates) 1-2, one RBI, one strikeout; Chris Barulic 1-1, run, base on balls; Jason Russianoff (Glory Days) 0-1 AMERICAN TOTALS 7-32, 3 RUNS, 2 RBIS, FIVE BASES ON BALLS, NINE STRIKEOUTS. LINE SCORE Nationals 300 410 010-9-11-1, LEFT ON BASE-7 Americans 000 101 100-3-7-4, LEFT ON BASE-9 Errors-Sanjurjo, Zehetmaier, Alice, Russianoff, Dinzey Doubles-Bautz, Campbell, Dinzey Stolen Bases-Vargas 2, Hancock, Barulic Caught-Fitzsimmons Double Plays-Nationals 1, Americans 1 Hit by Pitch-Russianoff (by Green) Passed Balls-Cyr, Bruno, Russianoff Sacrifice Fly-Dominguez PITCHING NATIONALS-Fuster (Twins) (W) 2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, one K; Vasquez (Los Tigres) 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 ER, 2 BB; Caruthers (Rockhounds)2IP, 1 hit, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 2K; Green (Indians) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1K; Bruno (Twins) 1IP, 1H, 1K; Francis Dinzey 1IP, 3K AMERICANS-Draper (Rockets) (L) 2IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB; Zehetmaier (Red Sox) 2IP, 3H, 4R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K; Schnelly (Pirates) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 3K; Menschel (Pirates) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K; Martinez (Rockets)1IP, 1H, 1K Time of Game: 2:48 Umpires-Jim Wilson (P), Bernie Ginsburg (B) MVP-Dinzey Managers-Nelson Sanchez (N), Rick Brescia (A) Coaches-Tim Bautz, Michael Paine (N)