COLONIALS, A’S STAY PERFECT, HAYMAKERS WALK-OFF
By Kirsten Karbach
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The New York Colonials and Canada A’s each stayed undefeated, while the Midwest Haymakers notched a walkoff win to highlight the action on day four of the 2016 California Winter League.
Matt Eshleman and the Bay Area Bootleggers (2-1-1) blanked the Palm Desert Coyotes (2-2) by a 5-0 final to kick off the schedule at Palm Springs Stadium on Sunday. Eshleman limited the Coyotes to three hits while striking out four in his four innings of work.
Clay Ragland reached base three times, collecting a pair of walks and a run-scoring triple. Paul Moreno crossed the plate on a double play to tally the first run of the game in the second inning, finishing 1-for-2 with a double and two runs scored.
Game two on the main field saw the New York Colonials (3-0) double up the Oregon Lumberjacks (2-1) by a score of 6-3. New York remained perfect on the young season, led by a dominant relief performance from Michael Tamburino. The 24-year old right-hander amassed eight strikeouts in four scoreless innings of work to earn the save, as Nolan Atkins picked up the victory.
Matt Cox helped boost the offense with a two-run single that tied the ballgame in the second inning, before Keenan Chanin dropped a triple into right-center to knock home Kyle Decker, putting the Colonials ahead for good.
On the auxiliary field the Midwest Haymakers (2-1) walked off with a 6-5 victory over the Palm Spring Power (0-3), rallying for two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Jerrod Groves brought the tying run across with a sacrifice fly, and Joe Coyne’s infield single with two outs pushed Sheehan Planas-Arteaga across to send the Haymakers home with the win.
The Canada A’s (3-0) stayed perfect by knocking off the Coachella Valley Snowbirds (0-3) by a 10-1 final. Up 2-0 entering the sixth, the A’s exploded for seven runs to break open the ballgame.
TJ Braff got it going with a one-out single, and Dan Grzywa was hit by a pitch with two outs. Taylor Douglas singled to load the bases, and after a pair of walks and a hit by pitch, Alec Saikal doubled home a pair of runs to make it 7-1. Following a walk to Logan Trowbridge, Braff would clear the bases with a triple to extend the A’s lead to 10-1.
The Manitoba North Stars (1-1-1) and Palm Springs Chill (1-1-1) battled to a tie in the final contest of the afternoon. Tyler Pearson turned in a dominant four innings in the start, facing just one batter over the minimum. The right-hander limited the Chill to just one hit while striking out five batters.
With the Chill clinging to a 1-0 lead entering the final frame, Victor Barron unloaded his first home run of the CWL season, a solo shot to right-center that tied the ballgame at one. Robert Latner walked to put the winning run on in the bottom half, but he would be left stranded at third as the contest ended in a tie.
Action continues on Monday at Palm Springs Stadium when the Washington Blue Sox battle the Alberta Grizzly at 10 a.m., followed by the Coachella Valley Snowbirds and British Columbia Bombers at 12:30 p.m. Monday is Local Day at the stadium, where Coachella Valley residents with a valid ID get in for just two dollars.
