Published: July 04, 2009 10:42 pm      

Bluefield Orioles trim Pulaski

PULASKI, Va. — A party atmosphere engulfed Calfee Park Saturday afternoon. A band outside provided a lively backdrop for an Independence Day celebration complete with baseball.

However, the hometown fans left the park disappointed. They saw their hometown Mariners commit five errors and the Bluefield Orioles take advantage, using them as the springboard for a 5-4 win.

“It’s a tough one when we beat ourselves,” said Pulaski manager Jose Moreno. “I know the players, they try to do … the best that they could. That’s part of the game. It’s a learning process and I know that we can do a better job right there.”

“Everything’s good the last four games,” said Bluefield manager Einar Diaz. “That’s good for them. They battle. They’ve been battling a lot and that’s good.”

Each of the errors were costly. Four of them aided in three of the Orioles’ five runs.

“We didn’t have a real good defense,” Moreno said. “It’s a few details that cost us a few runs over there. If this one were better, maybe the different score, it’s going to be on our side.”

“We have to take advantage of that,” Diaz said. “If we have a chance to take advantage of something, we take advantage, you know. If you don’t take advantage like that, it’s going to be tough, you know.”

Even with the errors, Pulaski was on track for its third win of the season. Starting pitcher Brandon Maurer went five innings and allowed four runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. But only three of those four runs were earned and instead of being in line for a win, Maurer had to be content with a no decision.

The Mariners hit well too. Cesar Fuentes went 2-for-4 with a double and a run, went Vinnie Catricala 2-for-4 with his first home run of the season, and Tim Morris went 1-for-4, but the one was his first home run of the year.

“We need to put everything together,” Moreno said. “We need to make that adjustment and try to put everything together. When we pitch, we need to play defense. We don’t need to give an extra at-bat.”

But it was not to be. Bluefield’s Omar Casamayor began the top of the eighth inning with a free trip to first after being hit by a pitch. Mike Flacco then hit a fielder’s choice to pitcher Brandon Josselyn. Josselyn threw to shortstop Gabriel Noriega for a force out at second, but Noriega’s throw to first was high and it allowed Casamayor to score the winning run.

It was the lone run Josselyn gave up in two no-hit innings of work that saw him strike out two and walk one. He took the loss and dropped to 0-1 on the season.

Bluefield reliever Thomas Phelps improved his record to 1-1 for the year after throwing the final three innings for the Baby Birds. He gave up two hits and struck out three, providing a solid performance when Bluefield needed it.

“That’s good. That’s what we needed,” Diaz said. “Three solid innings and when they come they do the job, you know.”

It was a day of twos for Bluefield’s Corey Thomas at the plate. He went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs and hit his second home run of the season.

The Mariners scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Cesar Fuentes doubled to left center, then a bouncer by Mark McGonagle took a weird hop over Bluefield second baseman Casamayor and Fuentes scored.

But the Baby Birds retaliated in the top of the second. Flacco began the rally by drawing a walk. Corey Thomas followed it by doubling to right field to score Flacco. Mikey Planeta gave Bluefield the lead five pitches later with a single to left to bring home Thomas.

It took just one swing for the Mariners to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning as Catricala launched his first pitch over the Pepsi ad in left field.

Pulaski’s lead was short-lived. Casamayor reached on a single to lead off the third inning. Then Pulaski first baseman Jhamidy De Jesus had trouble fielding a Kipp Schultz grounder, letting the ball get away from him. Then he tried a desperation throw that went nowhere except on the score sheet as his second error on the play. Casamayor scored and Bluefield led again.

Thomas led off the fourth inning by getting his second hit of the game. This time, he lined a no out, 1-1 pitch over the center field fence to extend Bluefield’s lead.

Morris was not about to outdone. He launched a 1-2 pitch high over the right field foul pole to begin a Mariners rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. De Jesus added another run, scoring on a fielder’s choice, and the game was tied again.

Pulaski had a chance to win with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Greg Waddell doubled to left center and advanced to third on a single by Noriega. Noriega stole second to put the winning run in scoring position.

But Phelps shut the door. He struck out Emmanuel Familia and forced Jarrett Burgess to fly out to right field to end the contest.

Pulaski (2-10) will stay home for the next three games against Danville with the hope of changing their fortunes.

“Every day’s a different day,” Moreno said. “This is a league that’s for a first experience in professional baseball. We know that they are going to make some mistakes. That’s part of baseball. But by the end of the season, they’re going to be fine and a part of the team.”

Bluefield (7-5) returns to Bowen Field on the heels of a four-game winning streak for a three-game series against Burlington.

“We just keep going, keep playing like we’re playing right now and do the little things we’re doing right now,” Diaz said. “That’s the thing, you know, that’s the key. We do whatever to do to win a game.”

— Contact Jed Lockett

at jlockett@bdtonline.com

*****

At Calfee Park

Bluefield.......021 100 010 — 5

Pulaski.........110 200 000 — 4

Vito Fabrizio, Thomas Phelps (7) and Dashenko Ricardo. Brandon Maurer, Kenta Suda (6), Brandon Josselyn (8) and Emmanuel Familia. WP - Phelps (1-1). LP - Jocelyn (0-1). HR - BLU: Corey Thomas (2); PUL: Vinnie Catricala (1), Tim Morris (1). Att. - 2,606.