Published: July 08, 2009 10:45 pm      

Rays shut down by Mariners

PRINCETON — One night after allowing 23 runs, the Pulaski Mariners blanked the Princeton Rays 3-0 in the first of their three-game series Wednesday night at Hunnicutt Field.

Joey Dettrich retired the Mariners in order in the first, allowed a walk in the second, and got one out in the third before Jarrett Burgess dropped a bloop single into center field for Pulaski’s first hit.

Burgess stole second and went to third when the throw sailed into center field. Gabriel Noriega lined a single to center to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Noriega then stole second and scored on Cesar Frentes’ hit up the middle.

Geno Glynn got Princeton’s first hit off Nolan Diaz to open the third, but was picked off first base.

Jeff Cinadr came on in the fifth in relief of Dettrich. Dettrich worked five innings, allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four.

Pulaski manufactured a run in the seventh on a hit, sacrifice bunt and a Princeton error.

Diaz scattered six hits in seven innings of action and kept the Rays from crossing the plate.

Matt Stablefeld came on for the Rays with two on and two out in the eighth and got a ground ball to end the Pulaski threat.

The Rays donned their rally caps in the bottom of the ninth off Brandon Josselyn. Seth Henry drew a two-out walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Tomas Francisco struck out, but got on board as the ball went to the backstop, and Henry advanced to third.

Glynn came to the plate as the tying run, but grounded out to end the game.

Ryan Wiegand had two singles for the Rays, and Daniel Rhault had a double and a single.

Diaz picked up the win, Diettrich was tagged with the loss and Josselyn earned the save.

The two teams meet again tonight in a modified three-game series.

Game 3 will be Friday night in Pulaski.