Bergman solid,but Silver Sox fall

RENO - Yuma Scorpions manager Mike Marshall and Reno Silver Sox skipper Les Lancaster were a study in contrast following the Scorpions' come-from-behind 6-3 victory over the Sox in front of an announced crowd of 1,456 Friday at Peccole Park.

A smiling, relaxed Marshall was the last one out of the visitors' dugout, savoring the end of his club's seven-game losing streak, while Lancaster was already dressed and making for the parking lot as if he had a plane to catch after his fifth-place Silver Sox gave up four runs in the last two innings to cough up a 3-2 lead for the loss.

"That's the way it's been all year. We can't make team plays," Lancaster said of the two-inning meltdown. "We're not stepping up to the plate. That's the way it's been since day one. We're not making routine plays."

Dusty Bergman, a 1996 Carson High School graduate, pitched 7 2/3 innings for the Silver Sox before getting touched up in the latter part of the inning.

With two out in the eighth, Bergman (0-3) surrendered a single to Scorpions third baseman Henry Calderon. Silver Sox shortstop and Galena High graduate Chuck Sindlinger followed with an error on Maikel Jova's grounder to give Yuma runners on first and third.

Yosvany Almario's single in the gap made it 3-3 and first baseman Nik Crouch gave the Scorpions the lead with a single to left. Center fielder Mike Goss followed with a single to center for a 5-3 lead before Bergman was lifted for Chris Testa.

Bergman gave up nine hits, struck out nine and issued two walks as the Silver Sox saw their three-game winning streak end and their record fall to 7-13.

"He pitched well, but he made two mistakes pitching (in the eighth)," Lancaster said of Bergman, who played briefly for the Angels in 2004 and is now a player-pitching coach for the team. "He gave up a hard-hit ball (which Jova hit) to Sindlinger and an 0-2 hit (to Almario). With his experience, he can't afford those mistakes."

Marshall, whose third-place Scorpions improved to 13-9, said he is happy his team put an end to its skid after opening the season red-hot.

"We haven't had many breaks. We haven't played well the last week," said Marshall, in his first year for Yuma. "We took advantage of three big runs in the eighth inning. We haven't been getting that.

"Their lefty (Bergman) had been doing a good job for them. (Starter) Charles Merricks did a good job for us."

Merricks (4-0) spread out seven hits and three earned runs in seven innings of work, striking out five and walking three.

"This was really good. You keep thinking when you win 12 of your first 14 games, you think you have a good club," Marshall said. "The last thing you think is that you're going to lose seven in a row. We have no excuses. We didn't play well. It's nice to break that streak and get a good win."

Former University of Nevada standout Bub Madrid put Reno on the board first, with a home run to left field in the second inning. After Yuma rallied for two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead, center fielder Victor Hall connected for his fourth homer of the year, a two-run shot to right to give Reno a 3-2 advantage.

Hall went 2-for-5 with 2 RBI and catcher Mashai Chikazawa finished 2-for-3 with a run scored to pace the Silver Sox.

Reno won the Golden Baseball League championship last season, but Lancaster made it crystal clear that he's not prepared to have his team rest on its laurels this season.

"We have to get some guys in here who can play defense," Lancaster said. "It's been regroup time since a long time ago."

Testa went 1 1/3 innings for Reno, giving up an unearned run on a Rich Janeway double in the ninth. Janeway was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple, but his knock came after Reno committed its third error of the game - a throwing error by second baseman Mike Done.

Amad Stephens walked one batter in the ninth, replacing Matt Saucedo.

Reno will face Yuma again today at 7 p.m. The Silver Sox will start right-hander Matt Parris (1-4 with a 4.91 earned run average), while the Scorpions will start righty Marcos Solis (1-1, 2.92).

Note: Newly acquired left fielder Juan Senreiso saw his first action for the Sox on Friday. He went 0-for-4.