RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

SIX RUN FIRST LAUNCHES VICTORY The first place Rockhounds teamed up with the Atlantic Sails, Marlins and Royals as the American All Stars and outscored the Nationals, made up of players from the Hurricanes, Cubs, Astros and Seminoles, 19-12 in the Spring league’s 18AA All Star game at the Lantana Sports Complex Wednesday June 19. It was not the type of game you would want to place in a time capsule for future generations to study, since the two teams combined for fifteen errors, fourteen walks, three hit batsmen, four wild pitches and two passed balls. The two teams also combined to leave twenty two runners on base. However, All Star games are all about having fun and it’s doubtful anybody who played in this one didn’t have fun. All eight league managers were present either as participants or as spectators, which may be the first time it’s ever happened. The Americans put together six hits and a walk, and took advantage of two errors to score six in the top of the first inning. After that, it was strictly “catch up” for the Nationals the rest of the way. Four Rockhounds had hits in that inning. Tim Klein, Bill Golson, Shawn Bufford and Jason Teresi all singled, Bufford getting the first RBI. After Carl Wight (Sails) drew a bases loaded walk, Matt Searles (Sails) singled in a run with a single and Mike Searles (Sails) added a hit, but Matt was cut down at the plate. The Nationals made it 6-4 in the bottom of the first on two long home runs by Hurricanes’ players. Craig Spatara ripped a two run shot on to Lantana Road, and teammate Arnie Torres hit a solo bomb to left center. After Jason Levy (Astros) drew a two out walk, he scored on a long double by team manager John Dobson (Hurricanes). That was as close as the National squad could get, however, as the Americans kept adding on to their lead, making it 17-6 after blasting five hits to score five times in the sixth. The Nationals wound up with four runs in the eighth and final inning, when the game was called due to the time factor. Rockhounds’ skipper Mike Soulen, who did not play, used Alex Thomas (Rockhounds), Jake Ballinger (Royals), Teresi and Bufford for two innings apiece for the Americans, with Ballinger getting credit for the win. The Nationals pitched Joe Hager (Hurricanes), Rob Neigebauer (Cubs), Matt Zeller (Cubs) and Dave Spall (Seminoles), with Hager taking the loss. Klein reached in all five of his appearances, driving in three runs and scoring three times and was chosen as the game’s Most Valuable Player, receiving an NABA All Star MVP plaque. One of his two hits was a double. Fernando Miranda (Marlins) was three-for-three with an RBI and three runs scored. Golson, Teresi and Matt Searles had two hits apiece, Ballinger ripped a triple to drive in a run. Spatara led the Nationals with the two-run homer and a run scoring single. Torres also had two, getting a single in addition to his home run. Diego Lezcano (Hurricanes) drove in three runs with a double and single.