Rockets stumble vs. Celina (06/10/05)

CELINA, Ohio — Korey Heppeard tossed four outstanding innings, but the Portland Rockets couldn’t pull off a comeback.

Heppeard allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings of relief only to have a ninth-inning rally for short in a 5-3 loss to the Grand Lake Mariners Thursday.

Portland (9-3) trailed 5-0 after the first four innings, but got a pair of runs in the fifth on a single by Phil Bruns and a double from Matt Steinke. It got another three hits by Luke Jones, Jay County graduate Mitch Waters and Brandon Cooley in the ninth. But, after a sacrifice fly by Bruns, the ninth-inning rally try fizzled.

Nick Pfeffenbarger took the defeat as he allowed all five Mariner runs in the first four frames.

Cardinals skid continues

LIMA, Ohio — The Geneva Cardinals fell to their eighth straight defeat Thursday, 6-1 to the Lima Locos.

Billy Craig suffered the defeat for Geneva (1-8), allowing six runs in five innings.

Landon Story had half of the Cardinals’ hits, finishing 2-for-3. He also scored the lone run on an RBI single by Travis Foster in the second inning.

Bryan Chandler led Lima, going 3-for-3 and scoring a couple of runs.[[In-content Ad]]