Lightning McQueen Reporting

The Rose Tree Fire Co Angels defeated the Diamondbacks tonight 16-4 at Continental Field. The Angels combined for 31 hits including nine players with multiple hits. Josh Emery and Rowan Degnan led the charge with 4-for-4 performances as did Kadin Matotek whose performance was highlighted by a Grand Slam in the top of the third inning in a 6 RBI night. Sam Kleinman had his best performance of the year with a 3 for 3 night and an RBI.
 
Defensively, the Angels showed their skills throughout the game - highlighted by a major league put-out from 3rd to 1st from Michael Costello to Josh Emery and some key defensive outs made by Alex Maillie.

The Diamondbacks lineup featured multiple hit performances by Kelton Brunner, Nick Corritore, Luke Mersch, Jake McDowell, Blayke Reid, Lizzy Gibian and Dylan LeBuhn. Defensively, Brunner stole the show with a key pop out in the sixth inning.

The Angels and Diamondback meet again on Friday, May 4th.

Legend: (Run #) Runner Who Scored Run

                              (RBI Credit & Hit)

(#16) Damien Carr (Rowan Degnan Single)

Doc Hudson Reporting

The Angels racked up 31 hits and eight putouts en route to a 16-4 victory over a game Diamondbacks club.

For the D'backs: Kelton Brunner went 2 for 3 with a run scored and made a trio of slick plays in the field to earn a game ball, while Nicholas Corritore went 3 for 3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI to lead a Diamondbacks offense that exploded for 17 hits. In addition to Brunner and Corritore, Jake McDowell (2 for 3, triple, run scored), Luke Mersch (2 for 3, RBI), Dylan LeBuhn (2 for 2), Blayke Reid (2 for 3) and Lizzy Gibian (2 for 3) all had multi-hit games, while Joey Cornacchia (RBI) and Nico Villalobos (run scored) also got hits for the home team.

Despite the final margin, this game was a heated tussle from start to finish.

The D'backs came out hitting and jumped on top, 2-0, in the bottom of the first. After Brunner got things started with a single, Corritore crushed an RBI double and Cornacchia followed with an RBI single. Then, McDowell moved Cornacchia to second with a hard-hit grounder to the first baseman, and Mersch singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Although the Angels got out of the inning without giving up any more runs, the Diamondbacks had made it clear that they were ready for battle.

Gibian led off the bottom of the second with a single and reached second when, with one out, Villalobos tattooed a ball to the left side. Unfortunately for the home team, the Angels' Alex Pak vacuumed the ball up at shortstop and hurled a perfect throw to first to rob Villalobos of a hit. LeBuhn followed with a single to put runners on first and third with two outs, but the Angels escaped unscathed.

In the top of the third, the Angels, who had loaded the bases in each of the first two innings, ripped off five runs on eight hits to take a 5-2 lead.

In the home half of the third, Pak, this time playing pitcher, came up big again as he took hits away from Brunner and Cornacchia. In between Pak's stellar plays, Corritore notched a two-out single.

Although the Angels broke things open in the top of the fourth when they plated four runs on six hits, the D'backs prevented further damage by making terrific plays in the field. With Angels on first and second and nobody out, Brunner, playing second base, reeled in a ground ball and tagged the runner heading for second. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, Villalobos calmly scooped up a grounder by first base and stepped on the bag to end the Angels' rally. Earlier in the inning, Reid held an Angels batter to a single and temporarily kept the visitors from adding to their score when he heaved a strong throw from right field to home plate. LeBuhn, who played a solid inning at catcher, was in perfect position to receive the ball.

After McDowell singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, Reid and Gibian got back-to-back hits to load the bases with two outs. But the Angels' third baseman ended the threat with an unassisted putout that snatched a hit and an RBI away from Sam Davenport.

The Angels added a pair of runs on four hits in the top of the fifth to make it 11-2, but, once again, the Diamondbacks' defense stepped up in the clutch. With the bases loaded and one out, Mersch cleanly fielded a grounder by first base and beat the runner to the bag. Although the Angels scored their second run of the inning on the play, Mersch's unassisted putout stemmed the tide.

After Villalobos and LeBuhn stroked back-to-back singles to start the home half of the fifth, Brunner loaded the bases with a two-out single, and Corritore knocked in Villalobos with a base hit. As with the previous inning, the Angels' third baseman ended the frame with an unassisted putout at the hot corner. This time, Cornacchia was the D'back who had a hit and an RBI taken away from him.

Although the Angels plated five runs on seven hits in the top of the sixth, the Diamondbacks continued to make outstanding plays in the field. Playing pitcher, Brunner came up with two of the plays, one in which he smoothly caught a pop-fly by the mound, and another in which he hustled to the right side, fielded a grounder and tagged the runner heading for first. Earlier in the inning, Kevin Nichols held an Angels batter to a triple when he chased down a well-hit ball in center field and fired it into the infield.

Refusing to quit, in the bottom of the sixth, the D'backs scored the final run of the night when McDowell smacked a triple and Mersch singled him home. Later in the inning, after Milan Hortua reached first on a fielder's choice and Reid got a base hit, the Diamondbacks had runners on first and second with two outs. Then, for the second time in as many at-bats, Davenport hit the ball hard, but fell victim to an unassisted putout at third.

Overall, the D'backs, who finished with five putouts to go with their aforementioned 17 hits, hung tough with the seasoned Angels.

1st Inning: Two (2) runs scored

(#1) Kelton Brunner (Nick Corritore Double)
(#2) Nick Corritore (Joey Cornacchia Single)
 

2nd Inning:  Zero (0) runs scored

3rd Inning:  Zero (0) runs scored

4th Inning:  Zero (0) runs scored

 
5th Inning:  One (1) run scored

(#3) Nico Villalobos (Nick Corritore Single)

6th Inning:  One (1) run scored

(#4) Jake McDowell (Luke Mersch Single)