Pelicans Force Championship-Deciding Fifth Game with 7-2 Victory

September 13, 2009

The Pelicans and Saltdogs will play the deciding game five of the American Association Championship Series Sunday at 4:05 p.m. after Pensacola topped Lincoln 7-2 Saturday night. The Saltdogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Pensacola closed within one after the fifth, and scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth. Both starting pitchers were fantastic, as Pensacola’s Dane DeValk and Lincoln’s Jarrett Gardner combined to allow just four runs while striking out 14.

The Saltdogs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Rafael Alvarez doubled and scored on a single by Gavin Dickey. Lincoln added another run when Shawn McGill hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth.

The Pelicans would close the gap to one in the bottom of the fifth inning when Marcos Rodriguez broke up Gardner’s no-hitter with a triple. Dallas Christison hit a bloop single to right field, plating Rodriguez and cutting Lincoln’s lead to 2-1.

Pensacola rallied in the last of the eighth to force a game five. Palmisano singled with one out, and Darby singled as well. Kevin Reynolds hit Palmisano in with a base hit to tie the game and move Darby to third, and Jason Diaz put a bunt down that moved Darby 90 feet to provide the winning run. Four more Pelicans would score as Antoin Gray was intentionally walked and Marshall McDougall hit a two RBI double to score Reynolds and Diaz. Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Burch walked to force home Gray. McDougall scored from third when Dallas Christison hit a sacrifice fly to left to give the Pelicans a 7-2 lead.

Dane DeValk pitched seven innings for Pensacola, yielding two runs on three hits. Devalk struck out a season-high nine batters without allowing a walk. Ron Hill allowed only a hit in the eighth inning, striking out one, and though Hunter Davis gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth inning, no runs would score and the Pelicans will compete for the championship Sunday.

Tickets to Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. deciding game five are available now online at www.pensacolapelicans.com, via phone at (850) 934-8444, or in person at the Pelicans Box Office, open at 3 p.m. at Pelican Park on the campus of the University of West Florida. Tickets start at just $9.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Sports