July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Rockets rally (07/27/06)
Portland Rockets/Geneva Cardinals
Rockets rally (07/27/06)
By By RAY COONEY-
GENEVA - Five times this season the Portland Rockets had blown away the Geneva Cardinals.
Geneva was looking for just one win against their neighbors to the south. But the Rockets would not allow it.
Trailing by five runs with just two innings remaining, the Rockets stormed back.
They tied the game on an RBI single from Brandon Cooley in the ninth, then scored five times in the 10th to top the Cardinals for the sixth time this year - 12-7.
"That's what you call a Rocket rally," said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team improved to 23-8. "We got three in the ninth and five in the 10th, that's just amazing.
"It's hard to beat a team three times they say. But six, it was definitely hard tonight."
The Rockets mounted their rally against the Geneva bullpen, getting a pair of runs in the eighth inning off of Nate Glant. Still trailing by three in the ninth, they jumped on Joe Ottenweiler.
After Ottenweiler returned the first batter of the frame, Phil Bruns delivered a single to left field. Then Derek Lehrman tortured Geneva again, blasting a two-run home run to right-center field.
Jay County High School graduate Mitch Waters followed with a walk, and Todd Graves doubled to put runners on second and third with only one out. Instead of intentionally walking Cooley to set up a double-play, reliever Dan Fensler pitched and got tagged with an RBI single for the tying run.
Portland then finished off the Cardinals in the 10th with a two-run double from Lehrman, an RBI double by Cooley and an RBI single from Graves.
"He can hit," said Miller of Lehrman's home run, "and he showed it again in the 10th inning with that big two-run double down the left field line. He's just a tough out, and he plays at a higher level."
The five-run 10th was started by JCHS senior Casey Waters. At 0-for-3 after a walk in his opening at-bat, Waters knocked a single to center field as the first four Rockets reached base.
"He had some lackluster at-bats early, but ... he swung the bat like he knew what he was doing to open the 10th and got the whole merry-go-round started for us," said Miller. "I'm really proud."
Geneva wasted an outstanding effort from Jared Baker, the team's regular closer who was making his first start of the year.
Baker scattered six hits and three walks to allow just two runs in seven innings. He struck out five batters, including Lehrman looking with a runner on base to end the seventh.
But, the bullpen gave up 10 runs on 11 hits over the final three frames as Portland rallied.
Lehrman led the Rocket offense with his 3-for-5 effort with a home run, two doubles, three runs and four RBIs. Graves went 4-for-6 with three RBIs, Cooley had four hits and Bruns scored three times.
Geneva managed 11 hits, but just one in the final three innings against Portland closer and winning pitcher Mitch Waters.
Leadoff hitter Ryan Bedwell went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs for the Cardinals. Chris Anderson added three hits, Danner Partridge had two and Alex Childers and Tony Aldridge each had two RBIs.
However, the middle of the Geneva order struggled as the No. 4, 5 and 6 hitters had just one hit in 13 at-bats.[[In-content Ad]]
Geneva was looking for just one win against their neighbors to the south. But the Rockets would not allow it.
Trailing by five runs with just two innings remaining, the Rockets stormed back.
They tied the game on an RBI single from Brandon Cooley in the ninth, then scored five times in the 10th to top the Cardinals for the sixth time this year - 12-7.
"That's what you call a Rocket rally," said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team improved to 23-8. "We got three in the ninth and five in the 10th, that's just amazing.
"It's hard to beat a team three times they say. But six, it was definitely hard tonight."
The Rockets mounted their rally against the Geneva bullpen, getting a pair of runs in the eighth inning off of Nate Glant. Still trailing by three in the ninth, they jumped on Joe Ottenweiler.
After Ottenweiler returned the first batter of the frame, Phil Bruns delivered a single to left field. Then Derek Lehrman tortured Geneva again, blasting a two-run home run to right-center field.
Jay County High School graduate Mitch Waters followed with a walk, and Todd Graves doubled to put runners on second and third with only one out. Instead of intentionally walking Cooley to set up a double-play, reliever Dan Fensler pitched and got tagged with an RBI single for the tying run.
Portland then finished off the Cardinals in the 10th with a two-run double from Lehrman, an RBI double by Cooley and an RBI single from Graves.
"He can hit," said Miller of Lehrman's home run, "and he showed it again in the 10th inning with that big two-run double down the left field line. He's just a tough out, and he plays at a higher level."
The five-run 10th was started by JCHS senior Casey Waters. At 0-for-3 after a walk in his opening at-bat, Waters knocked a single to center field as the first four Rockets reached base.
"He had some lackluster at-bats early, but ... he swung the bat like he knew what he was doing to open the 10th and got the whole merry-go-round started for us," said Miller. "I'm really proud."
Geneva wasted an outstanding effort from Jared Baker, the team's regular closer who was making his first start of the year.
Baker scattered six hits and three walks to allow just two runs in seven innings. He struck out five batters, including Lehrman looking with a runner on base to end the seventh.
But, the bullpen gave up 10 runs on 11 hits over the final three frames as Portland rallied.
Lehrman led the Rocket offense with his 3-for-5 effort with a home run, two doubles, three runs and four RBIs. Graves went 4-for-6 with three RBIs, Cooley had four hits and Bruns scored three times.
Geneva managed 11 hits, but just one in the final three innings against Portland closer and winning pitcher Mitch Waters.
Leadoff hitter Ryan Bedwell went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs for the Cardinals. Chris Anderson added three hits, Danner Partridge had two and Alex Childers and Tony Aldridge each had two RBIs.
However, the middle of the Geneva order struggled as the No. 4, 5 and 6 hitters had just one hit in 13 at-bats.[[In-content Ad]]
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