Crystal Lake Roundup – Scores on the Week

[Apollos]

9/1/2007 - Crystal Lake, IL - CL was 3-4 again this week as their slump continues. The Gnats lead over the Badgers drops to two games. They will need to shake it soon or risk losing their grip on first. “It’s just the jitters,” said manager Wayne Kedsch. “Most of these guys are still kids without any experience. We will be all right. We just need to get hot again.”

Aurora
CL over Aurora 7-1. The week started out well. Anderson pitched great, scattering 7 hits over 8 innings of work. He evened his record at 9-9. Coronado put the Gnats ahead early with a two run homer run in the first. Grymes drove in four as Anderson was the rare recipient of a strong offense.

Reno Series
CL over Reno 2-1. 34,600 screaming Gnats fans saw José Cruz win his 11th game of the year. Cruz gave up a run in the first but then shut it down. He allowed only one hit the rest of the way and was dominant striking out 11 while walking none. Chacón earned his 26th save of the season after striking out two in the 9th. Reno scored their only run on a ground out as Patterson, who earlier had doubled, advanced to third on a single, and then scored on the fielder’s choice. Gnats 3B Márquez scored from third on a fly ball to tie the game in the second, and O’Donnell’s 20th homer of the season in the fifth was game winner.

Reno over CL 4-1. The beginning of a four game losing streak. The Gnats couldn’t touch Reno’s Burhoe. He allowed only 3 hits during his 8 innings. Stewart pitched well enough, striking out 10, but CL was unable to score. Attendance was 33,800.

Reno over CL 10-4. A game you want to forget about when you are on the short end. It was nothing short of a pitching collapse. Gnats fans gasped as Jackson stiffened up and was removed in the 3rd. “It was a precaution, that was all,” said CL manager Wayne Kedsch. The Gnats did suffer an injury however. Montoya, who replaced Jackson retired the side but would not take the field again. The early prognosis was shoulder soreness. CL placed him on the disabled list after the game. Carlos Camacho was recalled from AAA to take his place on the roster. Reno’s Román hit his 35th homer of the year to give Reno a two run lead in the first. The Gnats would get the lead back but the game got out of hand in the 6th as Reno scored three times. They put it on ice with a four run 9th. Paid attendance was 33,600.

Bakersfield Series
Bakersfield over CL 6-1. Bakersfield used Sparling for batting practice scoring 3 runs in the second and again in the fourth. Christian’s homer in the 8th was the only CL run and high light.

Bakersfield over CL 6-5. The Gnats had a 5-3 lead going into the 9th. CL fans started to breath easier with Chacón coming in to close out the game. It wasn’t meant to be, however. Chacón was hammered for 5 hits and 3 runs as Bakersfield stole this one away. It was an ugly loss for the Gnats and exemplified their struggles these past three weeks.

CL over Bakersfield 5-4. Cruz struck out 9 in his 6 innings of work and left with a four run lead. But the pen could not hold back the potent Bakersfield offense, who tied the game in the 8th. The tie was taken into the 11th. CL’s Clark singled home Miller to give the Gnats the lead. Shepherd came in to try and hold it and hold it he did, striking out 2 in the bottom of the frame and preserving the win. The victory broke the four-game losing streak.