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Pickoff, then a pick-me-up
Danny Putnam's 10th-inning homer is the decisive blow.
By Les East - Special To The Bee
Last Updated 5:46 am PDT Monday, May 12, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C5
METAIRIE, La. – Danny Putnam homered with two outs in the top of the 10th inning as the River Cats defeated the New Orleans Zephyrs 6-5 Sunday afternoon at Zephyr Field.
Jeff Baisley was picked off first base for the second out immediately before Putnam's sixth home run of the season. Sacramento had blown a 5-4 lead in the ninth.
"It was like a mini-heartbreak for us," Putnam said. "You think the pickoff might take you out of the inning, then it's heartbreak right back at them."
Putnam hit a fastball from Carlos Muniz, who had not given up a run in 12 2/3 innings with the Zephyrs and in four innings with the New York Mets. Putnam fouled off three full-count pitches before Baisley was picked off.
"(Muniz) was trying to be careful with the runner on first," Putnam said. "After the pickoff I figured he would come right after me and he did."
River Cats reliever Brad Ziegler blew a save opportunity in the ninth inning but got the win by pitching a scoreless 10th. The Zephyrs threatened with two outs in the 10th when Baisley's fielding error put Chris Aguila on and Victor Mendez walked. Anderson Hernandez, who had struck out three times, grounded to first to end the game.
Ziegler allowed two hits, two walks and a run, and struck out one in two innings.
"It wasn't his best stuff, but he battled," Sacramento manager Todd Steverson said. "He got through it."
River Cats starting pitcher Dan Meyer overcame a wild first inning and shut down the Zephyrs for the next four innings, striking out seven of the last 15 batters he faced.
The River Cats took a 1-0 lead when Brooks Conrad hit his sixth homer of the season in the first inning.
The Zephyrs took a 3-1 lead in the bottom half when Valentino Pascucci hit a three-run homer, his second homer in as many games and third in four games. Meyer walked three batters and needed 39 pitches to complete the inning.
Sacramento tied the score in the third when Kevin Melillo hit a two-run homer, his third of the season.
New Orleans starter Jose Diaz walked the bases loaded to start the fourth, and Gregorio Petit singled to left to give the River Cats a 5-3 lead.
The Zephyrs had just one base runner and no base hits in innings three through seven. In the eighth, New Orleans scored a run against reliever Jeff Gray on two singles and Pascucci's RBI grounder to make it 5-4.
Mendez led off the Zephyrs' ninth with a single. After a sacrifice bunt and groundout, Argenis Reyes singled in the tying run.
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Next game: 5 p.m. today, River Cats LHP Dallas Braden (0-0, 2.50 ERA) at Zephyrs RHP Ruddy Lugo (3-1, 2.70).
Notes: River Cats closer Brad Ziegler gave up his first earned run of the season and blew a save in the ninth inning Sunday. He had given up just one unearned run in 15.1 innings before Sunday.
• Less than 24 hours after being shut out, the Rivers Cats got on the scoreboard right away when Brooks Conrad hit a solo homer with two outs in the first.
• The River Cats have been shut out three times this season, and each time they have come back to score at least five runs in the next game.
– Les East
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