Madrid comes through big in Silver Sox win
BY DARRELL MOODY
Appeal Sports Writer
RENO - With lead-off hitter Victor Hall having a rare off night, the Reno Silver Sox needed a tablesetter.
Up stepped former Nevada star Bub Madrid, who started three rallies and went 3-for-3 and scored twice to spark Reno to an 8-4 win over St. George in a Golden Baseball League game Sunday night at Peccole Park.
The win was Reno's seventh straight against the first-year Roadrunners, who dropped to 5-24. Nevada improved to 13-16, inching ever so close to the .500 mark.
Madrid raised his average to .350 after his perfect night at the plate. It was just another case of a guy picking up a teammate.
"I'm so used to Vic coming through (and getting on base)," Madrid said. "I'm a first-pitch hitter. When Vic is on base, I'm always wondering should I let him run or swing at the first pitch. It takes pressure (off me), and I can swing freely like I normally do."
Madrid had to leave the game in the sixth after his third hit. He lined a ball just inside the line at third, and tweaked his left hamstring rounding first base. The Silver Sox standout said he hopes he just pulled the hamstring, and he told reporters that he wants to keep playing.
"I'll play until it goes out on me or goes away," Madrid said. "I don't have two weeks to take off."
Reno spotted the Roadrunners one run when Ryan Stevenson clubbed a solo homer off winning pitcher Nick Moran, who allowed only four runs and four hits over 8 2/3 innings.
Reno roared back with five first-inning runs off Matt Pena, sending 10 batters to the plate in the process.
With one out, Madrid singled to center and moved to second when Juan Senreiso walked. After Jose Rodriguez flied out to deep center, Maza Chikazawa doubled off the center-field fence to score both runners. Kane Simmons followed with a homer to right-center field, his second round-tripper in as many games and fifth of the season. Mike Done followed with a double and scored on Sam Walker's single to left.
"The last time we faced him, he shut us down for three or four innings,' Reno manager Les Lancaster said of Pena. "It was great to see guys get good, sold contact (early)."
The offense added one in the second, a rally started by Madrid, and two in the sixth which started with a Madrid single. The cushion was nice, but Moran didn't really need it.
"It (the five runs) was huge," said Moran, who threw 98 pitches in his second start since he left the rotation with a sore elbow. "It let me focus on throwing strikes and getting ahead of the hitters. We were up six most of the game.
"I felt good. I attacked them with my fastball. They made my job easier. I threw strikes and they (his teammates) made the plays."
Lancaster was especially impressed with Moran's effort. It was arguably one of the best-pitched games in Reno's short history. After the first-inning solo homer, Moran allowed only six hits over the next 7 1/3 innings.
"He made them hit his pitches," Lancaster said. "He gave our bullpen some rest tonight. We've used our bullpen quite a bit."
Cody Nowlin, former Reno first baseman, cut the gap to 8-2 in the seventh with a run-scoring double. He was stranded when Moran easily retired the next three hitters.
St. George added two runs in the ninth. Moran retired the first batter he faced, but gave up a double to Stevenson and a run-scoring single to Nowlin.
Moran left in favor of lefty Josh Evans, who walked pinch-hitter Brett Flowers to put runners on first and second. Steven Wright followed with a double off the fence in right-center field. Senreiso fired a perfect strike to Maurice Cole, who relayed it to catcher Joe Melton in time to nail Flowers trying to score from first. Gerard Haran grounded out to end the game.
Done, Reno's player-coach, admitted that the Silver Sox are confident against the Roadrunners, but won't take them lightly.
"You never want to overlook any team," Done said. "You never know what's going to happen."
NOTES: Members of the Carson Babe Ruth 14-year-old All-Star team escorted the Silver Sox starters onto the field prior to the game ... Nate White, a Carson High graduate, was the plate umpire ... The three-game series concludes tonight when Dusty Bergman, 0-3, opposes Ben Buker, 1-0, at 7 p.m. ... Cory Snyder, St. George manager, was ejected by White for arguing balls and strikes. Snyder tried to stay in the bullpen, and base umpire Tyler Ramsey went out to make sure he left the playing field. It's the second ejection in as many games. Pitching coach Darin Kracl was ejected Saturday ... The World Famous Chicken visits Peccole Park on July 11... Walker went 3-for-3 with an RBI in his Reno debut.
• Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281.