Published: July 11, 2008 10:16 am            

Rays fall to Astros, 14-3

PRINCETON — Last week’s loss to the Bluefield Orioles broke the Princeton Rays’ winning ways, and they struggled through a rough series against the Pulaski Astros.

The Astros’ bats were hotter than the Fourth of July fireworks, as they walloped the Rays 14-3. At the close of Friday night’s game, Pulaski recorded 19 hits and five home runs.

Luis Diogenes reached base early on a double, and a single by Mayo Acosta drove him home.

But, the home team answered in grand fashion, scoring 12 runs over the next five innings, the same span Princeton remained scoreless.

Rays’ outfielder Ramon Novas sent a solo home run over the center field fence in the top of the seventh, but the team couldn’t capitalize on the shot.

They tried again in the top of the eighth, as short stop Tim Beckham led off with a single to left field. A failed pickoff attempt gave the No. 1 draft pick time to hustle to third and set him up for a run home on Eli Sonoqui’s ground out.

The Astros weren’t ready to burn out though. They scored again in the bottom of the eighth, on a home run by Jose Rivero.

After holding the Rays in the top half and leading by a 14-3 score, the Astros didn’t bat in the bottom of the ninth.

•••

Saturday’s game was rained out in Pulaski, prompting a double header on Sunday.

The Rays briefly held a slim, 4-3 lead after four innings of the first game.

Princeton scored all of the Rays’ runs in the top of the third. Ramon Novas grounded out, but the rally started when Dustin Biell grounded to first, Diogenes Luis was hit by a pitch and Tim Beckham reached on a force attempt that forced the bases loaded. Pulaski walked the first run in with pass to Burt Reynolds.

Up next, Eli Sonoqui singled, sending Luis and Beckham home, while Mayo Acosta warmed up on deck. He singled on a ground ball to left field, and Reynolds scored.

The score stood at 4-1 after three, but Pulaski arrived in the fourth inning ready to change that.

Two Pulaski runs in the fourth and two in the sixth put the Astros up 5-4, and that was all of the scoring in the game shortened to seven innings for the double header.

•••

D.J. Jones and Burt Reynolds both launched home runs in the second Sunday game, but it was no competition for the Astros, who whipped the Rays 11-4.

Pulaski’s Kenn Kasparek was recorded as the winning pitcher, while Princeton’s Kevin Chavez suffered the loss.

•••

After a night off Monday, the Rays were slated for a home game against the Bristol White Sox Tuesday. Rain and a wet field postponed the contest, turning Wednesday’s businessman’s special 11 a.m. game into a doubleheader.

— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.

        

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