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Islandian Pro Alliance
Saturday, May 26, 2001
Ruthlandian Union - South Division
Rattlers Hold Off Sunbirds 4-3
Sugar Valley's Jorge Vargas and Freddie Vaux came through with clutch hits as the Rattlers slipped by Belair Beach 4-3 on the road. Third baseman Vargas (.331) busted up a 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the top of the eighth. Second baseman Rudi Oliver (.343) singled and scored on center fielder Vaux's (.321) triple for the eventual winning score. It was Sugar Valley's third consecutive win and kept them in first place in the RU South. Shortstop Flipper Bird (.272) provided the Rattlers first run with a fourth-inning roundtripper to cut the Sunbird lead to 2-1. Ken Frey (1-2 3.22) was nailed with the loss. He pitched into the eighth, allowed four runs on nine hits, struck out eight and walked two. Closer Gregg Neal (4-2 1.63) gave up one run in three innings for the victory. Paul Haines (0-1 3.21) started for Sugar Valley and gave a good account of himself. In a solid outing the 34-year-old righthander permitted only two runs and six hits in six innings, fanned five and issued no walks.
Sugar Valley (20-15) is 1.5 games in front of third place Belair Beach (19-17) and a half-game ahead of second place Marston (20-16).
Ledbetter Shines Against Diamonds
The IPA has another 7-game winner -- it's Casey Ledbetter of the second place Marston Nine. He's a 6'5" righthander and he really was the King of the Hill today in the RU South Division. Ledbetter (7-1 2.89) tossed his sixth complete game and blanked the last place Claxton Diamonds 6-0 on 6 hits. He walked only two and fanned seven. Marston only managed 8 hits, but they were productive. Left fielder Ronnie Horn (.306) had two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice. Third baseman Roland Thomas (.306) chipped in two more RBIs and right fielder Chris Deangelo (.284) smacked his 4th homer. Most of them came off losing pitcher Tetsunori Nakashima (6-3 4.19), who failed to get his 7th win of the season. He was tagged for six hits and five runs and departed in the fifth frame.
To date in 2001, has registered 9 starts, 7-1 won-lost mark, 2.89 ERA, 71.2 IP, 50 strikeouts and 16 walks. Opposing teams have hit .242 against him.
The Marston Nine (20-16) kept pace with the top club in the RU South, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (20-15) and trail them by only a half-game.
Waleska Dumps Lumberjacks 6-3
Waleska sent Forest City to its third loss in a row, whipping them 6-3 behind Smokey Joe Carter (6-4 2.70), who gave up 10 hits, but only three runs. Carter chalked up four Ks and issued just one walk. The Westerners were outhit by the Lumberjacks, but Waleska got the clutch hits with men on base. First baseman Freddie Shelton (.315) led them with two hits including a two-run two-bagger. Catching the loss was Gene Stuart (3-2 4.28), who was treated roughly by the Westerners. He surrendered eight hits, four walks and six runs in seven innings.
Waleska (19-18) is in the fourth spot in the RU South standings, but only two games behind the division leader. Forest City (17-20) is fifth and is four games out.
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