5/21/2013-
By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer
ALPINE, Texas -- It was another tough night for Taos in Alpine Monday, and this time, it wasnt even close, as the Cowboys pounded the Blizzard 15-5, taking advantage of shaky Taos pitching.
"We walked too many guys and gave up hits when the bases were loaded. So thats what happened," said Blizzard manager Matt Leahy.
"We got after their starter a little bit," said Alpine manager Ryan Stevens. "He threw pretty well early on against us, hes a big power lefty, then he started to get fatigued and we got to him, and they had a couple of hitters that knocked a couple off Brad (Orosey) early on, which kind of made him mad and showed me a little side of him I hadnt seen before. He really gritted down."
Although play-by-play was not available, the line score shows the first two innings were scoreless, with Alpine starter Orosey and Taos starter Tyler Stuckey getting out of each inning fairly easily.
In the third, both teams scored, with Taos getting three runs on two home runs: a solo shot by John Apostolo and a 2-RBI dinger by Blair Springfield after Jordan Chiero singled. Alpine came back with two in the bottom of the stanza on a single by Billy Fox, Derrick Crowe double and an error.
But it the the fourth and fifth innings that made the difference as Stuckey allowed six Cowboy runs in the fourth and reliever Mike Russo gave up seven runs on only one hit -- and numerous walks -- in the fifth.
"Our relief pitching just crapped the bed again, which seems to be the theme here the past couple of days," Leahy said. "So well be making some changes along the way. Get some new guys in here."
"They lost control a little bit and we were patient and let them make their own mistakes, then we had a couple of big hits which drove runners in, which is how it came down," Stevens said. "Seemed like two or three different situations it was walk, walk, then a big hit bases loaded, then another big hit bases loaded."
Russ Burroughs got the final out in the fifth and shut down the Cowboys in the final three innings, and the Taos bats did add two more runs in the seventh. Still facing Orosey -- who struck out 10 -- Burroughs and Khyle Dimino singled, then, with two outs, Jason Berrios tripled before Orosey closed the Blizzard down.
Leahy said Berrios, who was 1-1-for-2 with 2 RBI looked good, as did Jordan Chiero, who was 2-for-5 with one run while "Cody Coffman (2-for-4) swung the bat pretty well."
Stevens was also pleased with hit hitters.
"Stucky three a really good game, but Ive got to give credit to some of the hitters in my lineup. They really had some good at bats against him," he said.
Although the walks in the big innings limited the overall hits, Fox was 2-for-5 with 3 runs and 2 RBI and D.J. Johnson 2-for-4 wirh two runs and RBI. Seven other COwboys, including Orosey, put up one hit each.
The teams will meet again Tuesday, with a 7:05 p.m. start, and despite a four-game slump, Leahy is still optimistic.
"At the end of the day, a season is not made in a week," he said. "So weve got some work to do. Well get back in the saddle, ride the horse and hopefully get a couple of Ws, and get out of here quickly. At the end of the day, you chalk it up to, 'Its only one, but you can only say that so many times before it starts to add up."