Broncos win, 2-1

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Andy Schon has had his way of late with the Edinburg Coyotes.

The Broncos right-hander followed last week’s complete-game, nine-strikeout win in Edinburg with another gem on Monday, throwing six innings and allowing one run on eight hits en route to a 2-1 win before a crowd of 576 at Veterans Field.

Schon struck out five and walked three to improve to 5-2, and was supported by Luany Sanchez’s two-run bomb with two outs in the sixth inning.

"What we got out of Schon is what we’ve been getting the last two starts," Broncos Manager Dan Shwam said. "He’s a competitor. He had his curveball working and he was down in the zone. He was very effective and he was a bulldog out there."

The Broncos improved to 23-24 while the Coyotes fell to 20-27. Laredo boosted its fourth-place lead to three games over Edinburg.

The Broncos received a much-needed dose of familiarity on Monday when veteran infielders Arnoldo Ponce and Ivan Reyes, two of their top three hitters, were activated off the inactive list.

The moves paid vast dividends as an improved infield defense ignited a fine start by the Broncos defensively.

Laredo held Edinburg to one hit over the first four innings, allowing just two baserunners, as the Coyotes never gathered a rhythm offensively.

Ponce and Reyes, who had missed many games over the last two weeks, combined for 14 putouts and six assists.

"It’s a whole different club when Ponce and Reyes are out there," Shwam said. "Even mentally, you can see how it affects the other players. It’s like a breath of fresh air."

Eventually, both offenses – Laredo was held to three hits over the same span – would awaken.

After throwing a spectacular first five innings, Schon eluded a critical jam in the sixth after loading the bases with no outs.

After Robert Matlock scored on a bases-loaded walk to Logan Wood, a heady double-play ended the inning.

With one out, Alex Entrekin flew out to shallow right field. The Coyotes then sent Amado German home after tagging from third base, but he was tagged out by Sanchez on Dwayne White’s quick throw from right field.

That crowd-pleasing play set the stage for another as Sanchez drilled a two-run home run to deep left field with two outs in the bottom of the inning to put Laredo ahead, 2-1.

It was Sanchez’s 11th homer of the season. He is tied with Amarillo’s A.J. Johnson for second in the league in home runs.

"Luany has been big for us all year," Shwam said. "He gets the hits when we need them and he does the right things. He really called and caught a great game tonight, but he got the big hit when we needed it."

Edinburg left-hander Miguel Martinez (4-3) got the loss. He threw six innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking four.

Dave Wasylak earned his first save of the season after pitching the ninth.

The Broncos compiled two runs on four hits to the Coyotes’ one run on eight hits.
Sanchez led the Broncos at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Matlock and Angelo Fermin led Edinburg with two hits apiece.

Game 3 is tonight at 7:35 p.m.

BRONCO BITS: On Monday, the Broncos traded reliever Benny Cepeda to Lincoln as part of the deal that brought Ben Tinius to Laredo on June 11. Cepeda was the "player to be named later" in the deal for the Broncos. As a Bronco, he went 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA in 13 appearances with three saves. The Broncos were caught off guard as it was agreed to informally that Lincoln would not ask for the player until late in the season. "We kind of got duped," Shwam said. "When we made the deal, they said they’d ask for the player at the end of the year. I would never have done it if I knew they’d want the player in June or July. It was very unprofessional of them, and I learned that is one organization we won’t be doing business with ever again."… The Broncos released catcher Josh Morrison, infielder Mark Perez and outfielder Santiago Guerrero on Monday. Morrison hit .100 (4-for-40) with five RBIs and two home runs in 18 games with Laredo. Perez, who played with the Broncos in 2006, hit .263 with three RBIs and three walks in six games. Guerrero hit. 241 with 14 RBIs and four home runs in 41 games for Laredo… The Broncos also announced on Monday that they signed catcher Josue Gonzalez out of Puerto Rico. Gonzalez played under Dan Shwam last season with the Can-Am Grays…Harlingen manager Al Gallagher was replaced by closer Caleb Balbuena on Monday. Balbuena had been the closer and pitching coach, but will now also assume managerial duties. Gallagher, who was in his first season as manager of the WhiteWings, had led Harlingen to a 16-30 record this season, the worst in United League Baseball. This season, Balbuena is 0-1 with seven saves and a 1.08 ERA. He has struck out 20 in 16.2 innings. He was a 26th round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1998. He spent four years in A-ball before moving to Independent baseball.
(Dennis Silva can be reached at (956) 728-2579 or Dsilva@lmtonline.com)

Wasylak in

The Broncos get just a walk from Edgard Clemente in the 8th.

Dave Wasylak is in to try and seal the deal for Laredo.

2-1 Broncos into the 9th.

2-1 into the 8th

Broncos get nothing in the 7th. That doesn't bode well. This is a team that needs at least a four or five run lead to feel comfortable.

Rusty Jones is out for the Broncos in the 8th.

Schon done; Sausville escapes jam

Schon leaves the game after putting the first two batters he faced on base.

Dan Sausville came in for relief and promptly eluded the jam as Edinburg did not leave the 7th with a single run.

Schon finishes the game in line for the win. He threw six innings and allowed one run on eight hits. He struck out five and walked three.

2-1 Broncos into the bottom of the 7th.

What deficit?

The offense is finally starting to arrive as Luany Sanchez's two-run blast to deep left field with two outs in the 6th puts Laredo ahead, 2-1.

It's Sanchez's 11th homer of the season. He's tied with Amarillo's A.J. Johnson for second in the league in homers. 

Alexandria's Patrick O'Sullivan leads all with 13 bombs.

Coyotes take lead

Schon eluded yet another jam in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs. Fortunately, he allowed just one run when Robert Matlock scored on a bases-loaded walk to Logan Wood.

But a tremendous double-play ended the inning. With one out, Alex Entrekin flew out to shallow center field. The Coyotes sent Amado German from 3rd, but he was tagged out by catcher Luany Sanchez on Dwayne White's liner throw from right.

1-0 Coyotes into the bottom of the 6th

Uno-dos-tres

Broncos go down 1-2-3 in the 5th. A couple of well-hit balls by Anthony Bennett and Steven Right were no match for the steady wind blowing to the left.

Schon escapes jam

Schon got into trouble in the 5th by loading the bases with two outs but escaped by striking out Gary Roche.

Schon surrendered two hits and walked one after retiring the first two batters he faced.

Still 0-0. 

Womp womp

Luany Sanchez's attempt at stretching a single into a double was questionable at best, and that spurred a deflated 4th for Laredo as Ben Tinius and Ivan Reyes struggled in the following at-bats.

0-0 into the 5th.

Schon continues roll

The quietly efficient Schon eases through another inning, surrendering a hit in the 4th.

It'd be a shame for him to get nailed with a no-decision so it would behoove the Broncos' offense if it woke up sooner or later.

Martinez has shown a tendency to get a bit wild -- three walks through the first three innings -- so patience and poise at the plate is the name of the game for Laredo.

zip, nil, nada

If this was a game of hits, the Broncos would be winning, 2-0. Unfortunately, it's a game of runs and we're still stuck at 0-0 heading into the 4th.

Improved 'D'

One thing is glaringly obvious tonight: the defensive fielding is so much better from the Broncos. Ground balls aren't getting loose or misplayed, and it's a huge difference.

There's better concentration and focus.

Schon pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd and has allowed no hits and one walk through 3. But he's had tremendous support behind him, particularly from the likes of Tinius and Reyes.

It's a mystery why the Broncos can't put forth the same defensive effort every night.

0-0 into the bottom of the 3rd.

Still scoreless

Eric Padilla gets the game's first hit on a single to center with two outs in the 2nd.

Still no score heading into the 3rd as this one is looking more and more like a sound pitchers duel. 

After all, these are two pitchers with identical records and similar ERAs. Shoulda seen this coming about two hours ago.

Smooth Schon

Schon mows down the Coyotes, 1-2-3, in the 2nd.

It's looking a little too easy out there for him so far.

0-0

The Broncos get two walks in the 1st but no hits.

Still 0-0.

Schon pickin' up where he left off

Schon, who pitched a complete-game, nine-strikeout gem in a 9-0 win last week against these same Coyotes, continues where he left off.

He allowed just a walk and faced four batters in the first inning, aided by a couple of fine defensive plays by Ben Tinius and Ivan Reyes.

0-0 into the bottom of the inning.

Broncos vs. Coyotes, Round 2

We're here at Veterans for pre-game of the Broncos vs. Edinburg, Game 2 of the three-game series.

The Broncos will send righty Andy Schon (4-2, 4.50 ERA) to the mound. His opponent is lefty Miguel Martinez (4-2, 4.75).

The Broncos made a plethora of moves this afternoon, the most significant being the activations of Arnoldo Ponce and Ivan Reyes off the inactive list.

Laredo also released catcher Josh Morrison, infielder Mark Perez and outfielder Santiago Guerrero, and signed catcher Josue Gonzalez.

More transactions are expected tomorrow as the Broncos must cut their roster total to 22 by Wednesday.

Here's tonight's lineup, which definitely looks a lot healthier than in games past:

CF   Steven Wright

SS   Arnoldo Ponce

RF   Dwayne White

DH   Edgard Clemente

C     Luany Sanchez

3B   Ben Tinius

1B   Ivan Reyes

2B   Eric Padilla

LF   Anthony Bennett

Broncos fall to 2-8 in last 10 contests

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

If Richard Bartlett had his way, he would never again see the burnt orange of the Edinburg Coyotes.

After surrendering 13 runs – 11 earned – on nine hits in 1 1/3 innings during Laredo’s loss in Edinburg on Tuesday, the Broncos right-hander again had trouble solving the Coyotes’ offense on Sunday.

Bartlett fell to 1-2 by allowing six runs – three earned – on nine hits in five innings en route to a 7-5 Broncos loss before a crowd of 927 at Veterans Field.

Edinburg, which has won four consecutive games, improved to 20-26 while Laredo fell to 22-24. The Coyotes sit two games behind the Broncos for the fourth and final United League Baseball playoff spot.

Errors, again, contributed greatly to Laredo’s eighth loss in its last 10 games.

The Broncos committed four miscues to the Coyotes’ two. Two of Laredo’s errors led to runs, with one resulting in three runs.

The Coyotes, boasting the league’s second-worst offense, struck first by getting ahead 3-0 in the first inning.

The runs came on sacrifice RBIs from Robert Matlock and Mayobanex Santana, and a RBI single from Amado German.

All three runs were unearned.

The Broncos cut their deficit by one run after Dwayne White hit a RBI single and Matt Lawman scored when Edgard Clemente grounded into a double play with two outs in the first.

Edinburg added to its lead on Gary Roche’s RBI single with one out in the second as Bartlett’s lack of control became apparent.

At one point during the second inning, he threw 10 consecutive balls.

The Broncos got closer after putting the first three hitters of the third inning on base.

The result was another RBI single from White to pull the Broncos within 4-3 before a gorgeous double play ignited by Santana ended the inning.

After Matlock’s RBI single in the fourth with two outs, Laredo’s Ben Tinius scored in the bottom of the inning on an attempted double play before Logan Wood countered with a RBI double in the fifth to push the Coyotes ahead, 6-4.

Luany Sanchez’s solo blast to lead off the sixth cut Edinburg’s lead before the Coyotes added cushion on Santana’s hard RBI double down the third-base line with two outs in the eighth.

Eric Montoya (5-2) earned the win, throwing six innings and allowing five runs – four earned – on 11 hits, striking out two and walking one.

Julio Castro got his seventh save of the season.

The Broncos compiled five runs on 13 hits to the Coyotes’ seven runs on 12 hits.

Santana, Roche, German and Daryl Jones led Edinburg as each tallied multiple hits.

White led the Broncos at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Lawman, Steven Wright and Mark Perez compiled two hits apiece.

Game 2 of the three-game series is slated for tonight at 7:35 p.m.

BRONCO BITS: Alexandria still has a shot at clinching second place from the first half of the season. The Aces and Amarillo Dillas are owed a makeup game after their June 4 contest was suspended due to power outage. The game will reportedly be continued on Wednesday. If the Aces win that contest, they are awarded second place due to having the same record as San Angelo after 45 games and owning the tiebreaker. If the Dillas win, San Angelo stays in second place, just as it was as of Saturday, when the first half was unofficially declared over. Amarillo is in first place and clinched a berth outright…A plethora of cuts are upcoming for Laredo. With Arnoldo Ponce and Ivan Reyes expected to be activated off the inactive list today, the Broncos will have to make four cuts to cut their roster to 22, the mandated number by ULB for the second half of the season.

Coyotes win

 Broncos go down 1-2-3 as Edinburg claims a 7-5 win.

Three final (?) outs

A 1-2-3 inning by Wasylak sets up a do-or-die ninth for Laredo.

The top of the order is up for the Broncos. Coyotes closer Julio Castro (1-1, 3.91 ERA) is in to try and shut the door on the Gateway Gang.

Coyotes still on top

Tinius leads off the 8th with a double but the Broncos aren't able to get anything out of it.

Still 7-5 Coyotes into the 9th.

Dave Wasylak (2-0, 7.30 ERA) is in for Laredo. 

Coyotes take two-run lead

Mayobanex Santana's hard RBI double down the third-base line with two outs in the eighth increases Edinburg's advantage to 7-5.

The run was unearned as the Broncos committed their fourth error of the night in the inning.

Reliever Luke Prihoda (2-0, 4.79) is in for Edinburg.

Broncos get nada; Jones in

The Broncos get nothing more than Dwayne White's one-out single in the 7th.

Lefty Rusty Jones (1-2, 4.15 ERA) is in for relief of Sausville.

Montoya removed; Coyotes still lead 6-5

Sausville pitched out of  two-on, two-out jam in the 7th as the Coyotes still lead 6-5.

Reliever Toro Trevino (0-3, 9.11 ERA) is in for Eric Montoya. Montoya, if all stays the same, will be credited with the win after throwing six innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits. He struck out two and walked one.

Sanchez cuts Coyotes' lead

After Sausville allowed one hit in the sixth, the Broncos' again cut their deficit on Luany Sanchez's solo blast in the bottom of the inning.

6-5 Coyotes into the 7th.

Bartlett done

Three up, three down for Laredo in the fifth.

Righty Dan Sausville (2-1, 5.54) has entered the game for Laredo, inheriting a 6-4 deficit.

Bartlett leaves after five innings, surrendering six runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out four and walking three.

Coyotes expand lead

The Coyotes score one run -- courtesy of Logan Wood's RBI double -- on two hits in the fifth as they take a 6-4 lead.

Bartlett, while settled after the first two innings, is unlikely to be left in a lot longer.

5-4 Coyotes

The Broncos are back down to a one run deficit after Ben Tinius scored on an attempted double play in the fourth.

Matlock boosts Coyotes

It's 5-3 Coyotes after Robert Matlock's RBI single with two outs in the 4th.

Broncos add another

The Broncos get a little closer after putting the first three hitters of the 3rd inning on base.

The result was another RBI single from White to pull the Broncos within 4-3. A gorgeous double play ignited by Mayobanex Santana ended the inning.

4-3 into the bottom of the third. 

Coyotes get shutout in 3rd

The Coyotes get two hits but fail to score in an inning for the first time all game.

Bartlett is getting back in rhythm and seems more confident in his delivery.

Still 4-2

The Broncos get one hit in the second, and nothing else.

4-2 Coyotes into the third.

Coyotes boost lead

Edinburg pads its lead to 4-2 on Gary Roche's RBI single with one out in the second.

Bartlett is struggling with his control mightily. At one point during the second inning, he threw 10 consecutive balls.

And while his ineffectiveness is obvious, the Broncos' defense is doing little to help. It has accounted for three errors already, and three of Bartlett's four runs allowed are unearned.

4-2 Coyotes into the bottom of the inning.

Coyotes 3, Broncos 2

The Broncos cut their deficit by one run after Dwayne White's RBI single and Matt Lawman scoring when Edgard Clemente grounded into a double play with two outs.

3-2 Coyotes into the 2nd.

Coyotes strike first

Edinburg is up 3-0. Two on sacrifice RBIs from Robert Matlock and Mayobanex Santana, and a RBI single from Amado German.

All runs were unearned. Not exactly way to start the second half of the season.

For comedic relief, I threw out the first pitch today. Was told 5 minutes before the game that I was the lucky fellow.

Decent pitch, or so I was told. But a bit (maybe by 100 feet?) outside. The guy still caught it so all is well.

Pre-game for Broncos vs. Coyotes

The Broncos (22-23) and Coyotes (19-26) are approximately third minutes away from the first pitch. Tonight's contest starts the second half of the season.

The Broncos will have righty Richard Bartlett (1-1, 18.90 ERA) on the mound. Bartlett is coming off a horrid outing his last time up. Against Edinburg on Tuesday, he lasted just 1 1/3 inning, surrendering 13 runs (11 earned) on nine hits , walking four and striking out two, in a 16-3 Coyotes rout.

Here's to hoping things go A LOT smoother this time around.

Bartlett's opponent will be Coyotes ace Eric Montoya (4-2, 4.09 ERA).

Tonight's lineup for the Broncos:

CF   Steven Wright

2B   Matt Lawman

RF   Dwayne White

DH   Edgard Clemente

C     Luany Sanchez

3B   Ben Tinius

LF   Anthony Bennett

1B   Mark Perez

SS   Eric Padilla

Arnoldo Ponce and Ivan Reyes are still out of the lineup due to injury, though both are expected to be activated tomorrow.

Broncos finish first half with win; Amarillo, San Angelo clinch playoff berths

The Broncos finished the first half of the season with a 22-23 record after defeating Alexandria, 3-0, on Saturday night.

Santo Hernandez (5-3) was dominant. And that's putting it lightly. The ace righty threw eight innings and surrendered four hits. He struck out 13 and walked four.

Luany Sanchez drilled his fourth homer of the season on a solo shot with one out in the seventh inning.

Here is the detailed game report from the Broncos' website.

With the loss, Alexandria did not clinch a first-half playoff spot. Amarillo and San Angelo will have home-field advantage after finishing the first half of the season as the top two teams in United League Baseball.

Amarillo clinched first place in ULB after defeating San Angelo, 5-2. Here is the detailed game report from the Colts' website.

The Dillas finished with a 27-17 record. The Colts finished 26-19.

At 25-19, Alexandria finished in third place. Laredo finished fourth at 22-23.

Harlingen and Edinburg were still playing as of this blog post. Either way, Harlingen will finish as the worst team in ULB, and neither reached 20 wins through their respective 45 games so far.

State of the Broncos address

The Broncos have, arguably, the best talent in United League Baseball.

Pitching-wise, they've got two deadeye aces in righties Santo Hernandez (4-3, 3.29 ERA) and Gregorio Martinez (4-0, 4.61). They have a solid, solid third starter in Andy Schon (4-2, 4.50), and in relief, they have decent stability in Rusty Jones and Benny Cepeda, though it's obvious it's the bullpen that needs the most work.

Offensively, they're never out of a game. They have seven position players hitting over .300, three of whom are hitting over. 340.

Their No. 9 hitter (Anthony Bennett) bats .311, has 16 RBIs and has walked 23 times. Their top hitter, outfielder Dwayne White, recently held a 24-game hitting streak and is currently hitting .395 with 35 RBIs and 6 home runs.

Hernandez, Martinez, White and premier slugger Edgard Clemente aren't expected to be Broncos for long. Broncos GM Jose Melendez said major league scouts are already bugging him and that he expects their contracts to be bought by a big league club a lot sooner than later.

So why, exactly, is this club's record at 21-23 and it is not one of the top two teams in the league?

It's a question that's on everybody's mind, and rightfully so. But the answer is something the Broncos have no control over and are frustrated with every hour of each passing day.

Injuries. Lots and lots of injuries, especially considering that these injuries are happening to the core of the Broncos, including Arnoldo Ponce (.345, 21 RBIs, 3 HRs), Ivan Reyes (.246, 24, 6) and Clemente (.374, 38, 8).

All three are deadly run-producers who missed a great chunk of the last two weeks, the exact time the Broncos were set and ready to make a strong run at one of the two first-half playoff spots.

Ponce has had a quad injury that has forced him out of nine games. Reyes has had tendinitis that has forced him out of 10 games. Clemente, the face of the Broncos' lineup, has had a bum shoulder that has forced him out of 10 games.

And this isn't even accounting to the injuries suffered to Johnny Lopez (36 games missed), Mark Lewis (35 games missed) and Matt Lawman (11 games missed), all of whom are youngsters able to provide the energy, hustle and production to accomodate the veteran core.

There has been no stability or consistency. With the constant in's and out's of the players, manager Dan Shwam has been forced to move players about, placing them in uncomfortable spots.

Players that hit in the bottom of the lineup are now hitting in the top. Outfielders are playing the infield. Infielders are playing all over the infield, alway from their natural positions.

And still...the Broncos were maybe five or six wins from getting one of the top two first-half playoff spots and earning home-field advantage in the playoffs in August.

Instead, they'll have to settle for finishing as one of four teams with a top winning percentage once the season is complete.

Despite the onslaught of adversity and unfortunate circumstances, Broncos' officials are still more than confident.

This is a team that is loaded with talent. Period. It's not a matter of chemistry or getting players adjusted or what have you. It's a matter of getting players healthy and on the field.

It's as simple as that.

Melendez joked to me the other day that the Broncos are more than capable of finishing the year with the best record in the whole league when it's all said and done...and they still wouldn't have home-field advantage.

And he's right. Because when talking with other people around the league, the Broncos are not only one of the top four teams in ULB.

They're easily amongst the top two.

Broncos out of first-half playoff race; Amarillo, San Angelo, Alexandria battle for top two spots

It was not a pretty night for the Broncos on Friday.

The Broncos lost yet another game, falling 4-1 to Alexandria by stranding 14 men on base as right-hander Gregorio Martinez (4-1) got his first loss of the season.

Martinez pitched well, throwing six innings and surrendering four runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out eight. But the Broncos' offense, the team's lone strength throughout the first half of the ULB season, was non-existent.

Laredo scored its lone run on 10 hits. The run was courtesy of a solo blast from Steven Wright.

Alexandria was more efficient, scoring four runs on eight hits.

Here is the detailed game report from the Broncos' website. 

The Broncos fell to 21-23 with one game remaining in the first half of their season. They are nowhere close to contending for a first-half playoff spot, and instead will have to look forward to finishing as one of two teams with a better overall winning percentage.

Alexandria improved to 25-18, a half-game behind San Angelo (26-18) for second place.

The Colts can clinch second place with a win on Saturday after defeating first-place Amarillo, 12-2, on Friday.

Amarillo (26-17) remains in first place by a half-game. If they win against San Angelo on Saturday, they clinch first place but San Angelo would still remain in second place with an Alexandria loss. 

An Aces win and a Colts loss puts Alexandria in second place.

In other ULB action on Friday, last-place Harlingen fell to Edinburg, 3-1. Edinburg improved to 18-26 as Harlingen fell to 15-29.

Broncos fall back under .500

The Broncos had one poor inning on Thursday night. But it cost them.

The Broncos were defeated 10-2 by Alexandria after surrendering eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The game was tied 2-2 heading into the inning.

The Broncos fell to 21-22 and is out of contention for a first-half playoff berth.

Left-hander Sean Donlin (1-2) had his second straight subpar outing. He was tagged with the loss.

Broncos Manager Dan Shwam and Luany Sanchez were both ejected in the third inning for arguing after Sanchez was called out on strikes.

Alexis Sosa (5-2) got the win. Laredo's Santiago Guerrero drilled his fourth home run of the season, a solo blast that gave Laredo a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Here is the full, detailed game report from the Broncos' website.

With the win, Alexandria improved to 24-18 and remains in the race for second place.

Also hurting the Broncos' chances was San Angelo's 5-4 win over Amarillo on Thursday. Here's a detailed game report from the Colts' website.

Amarillo remains in first place in United League Baseball as San Angelo stayed in second. The Colts are 25-18, a half-game ahead of Alexandria for second place.

Amarillo is 26-16, 1 1/2 games ahead of San Angelo and, in all likelihood, the league's top club heading into the second half of the season.

And finally, in a battle of the league's worst clubs, Edinburg outlasted Harlingen, 12-4, on Thursday. Here's the game report.

So with the first half of the season concluding on Saturday, here's a look at the standings heading into today's action. Remember, the top two clubs following the first half of the season clinch a playoff spot and have home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The other two teams will be decided by whoever has the best winning percentage.

AMARILLO 26-16
SAN ANGELO 25-18
ALEXANDRIA 24-18
LAREDO 20-21
EDINBURG 17-26
HARLINGEN 15-28

San Angelo back in 2nd place in ULB

The San Angelo Colts are back in second place -- atleast temporarily -- after defeating Alexandria 10-5 on Wednesday in Alexandria.

The Colts are up by half a game over Alexandria in the standings. They sit at 24-18 as the Aces fell to 23-18.

Here is the game story from Wednesday's Colts-Aces game.

In Amarillo, the Dillas' pitching was the name of the game as the first-place club pulled away with a 6-2 win over Harlingen.

Amarillo improved to 26-15 as Harlingen, the worst club in ULB, fell to 15-27.

Here is the game story from the game.

Here are updated ULB standings heading into Thursday's action:

AMARILLO 26-15
SAN ANGELO 24-18
ALEXANDRIA 23-18
LAREDO 21-21
EDINBURG 16-26
HARLINGEN 15-27

Sparklin' Schon

Broncos right-hander Andy Schon delivered the team's best pitching performance of the season on Wednesday night.

The righty threw a complete game -- the first for the Broncos this season -- and allowed no runs on nine hits while striking out nine en route to a 9-0 win over Edinburg.

Schon improved to 4-2 as the Broncos moved back to .500 at 21-21. Edinburg fell to 16-25 with the loss.

Ben Tinius hit his first homer of the season as Laredo scored nine runs on 13 hits and committed two errors.

Edinburg's Miguel Martinez (4-2) got the loss.

The Broncos scored in six separate innings and halted an offense that had scored 28 runs in the previous two games.

Here is the full detailed game report from the Broncos' website.

Laredo will start a three-game series in Alexandria tonight and will close the first half of the season on Saturday.

More from Wednesday's ULB action later tonight.

Alexandria overtakes San Angelo for 2nd place in ULB

The Alexandria Aces are now in line for the second first-half playoff spot after defeating San Angelo, 3-2, on Tuesday night.

Alexandria is now 23-17 as San Angelo fell to 23-18.

In more ULB action on Tuesday, the Harlingen WhiteWings, the worst team in the league, were the beneficiaries of a shortened five-inning contest after the game was called off due to rain.

The WhiteWings won, 6-1.

Amarillo still holds a two-game lead over Alexandria for the first-place playoff spot.

The first half of the season ends on June 28.

Here are updated league standings heading into Wednesday's action:

AMARILLO 25-15
ALEXANDRIA 23-17
SAN ANGELO 22-18
LAREDO 20-21
EDINBURG 16-24
HARLINGEN 15-26

Edinburg hammers Broncos, 16-3

If the Broncos' first-half playoff hopes aren't completely fallen by now, they're teetering on the edge.

The Broncos fell, 16-3, to Edinburg tonight.

Richard Bartlett (1-1) lasted 1.1 innings, surrendering 13 runs (11 earned) on nine hits. He walked four and struck out two.

The Coyotes led 13-0 before the Broncos finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning on Edgard Clemente's RBI single and Matt Lawman's groundout RBI.

Eric Padilla hit a solo home run in the fifth to complete the scoring for the Broncos.

Laredo scored three runs on five hits and committed two errors. Edinburg scored 16 runs on 13 hits while committing two errors.

Eric Montoya (4-2) earned the win for Laredo, pitching a complete game.

The Broncos now sit at 20-21 and have lost two straight to porous Edinburg, which now sits at 16-24.

Game 3 is slated for tonight in Edinburg at 7:05 p.m. The Broncos will finish their six-game road trip with a three-game stand in Alexandria starting Thursday.

More from ULB later tonight.



Here is a detailed game report from the Broncos' website.

Broncos lose to fall back to .500

The Broncos suffered a 12-8 defeat to Edinburg tonight.

Santo Hernandez (4-2) got the loss. He surrendered seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in five innings of work. He struck out five and walked five.

It was his first truly poor outing of the season.

Laredo scored eight runs on eight hits and committed three errors. Edinburg scored 12 runs on 11 hits and committed one error.

Catcher Josh Morrison homered for Laredo, his second of the season.

Edinburg's John Maschino (1-3) got the win.

The Broncos fall to 20-20. Edinburg, tied with Harlingen for the worst record in ULB entering Monday's contest, improved to 15-25.

Game 2 will be on Tuesday in Edinburg at 7:05 p.m.

Here is the full detailed game report.

Also in ULB action on Monday, Alexandria defeated San Angelo, 7-3, to move within a half-game of a playoff spot.

First-place Amarillo remained in first with a 17-7 thrashing of Harlingen.

Here are the updated records heading into Tuesday's ULB action:

AMARILLO 25-14

SAN ANGELO 23-17

ALEXANDRIA 22-17

LAREDO 20-20

EDINBURG 15-25

HARLINGEN 14-26

Broncos move back over .500 with sweep of Dillas

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Despite a slew of injuries that have had a dramatic domino effect on their lineup, Laredo salvaged a potentially devastating weekend by sweeping Sunday’s two games against Amarillo.

After the Dillas swept the Broncos by a combined score of 14-3 on Saturday, Laredo tallied wins of 15-11 and 6-4, respectively, on Sunday in front of a crowd of 1,006 at Veterans Field.

The two clubs finished a suspended contest from June 7 before engaging in a seven-inning affair.

In spite of having two of their top hitters sidelined with injuries on Sunday, the Broncos improved to 20-19 as the Dillas fell to 24-14.

Amarillo still sits firmly in first place in United League Baseball while the Broncos are in fourth place, three games back of second place and the final spot for qualifying for the playoffs in the first half of the season.

Broncos slugger Edgard Clemente, who had missed the previous six games with an injured shoulder and was nowhere near full health on Sunday, made a dynamic return in the second game.

Roberto Clemente’s nephew went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk.

Dillas starter Josh Smith ran into trouble early in the first inning of the second game, twice putting the bases loaded with one out, but escaped as the Broncos only managed Clemente’s deep sacrifice fly to left field with one out.

The Dillas eventually would reward him on Gary Schneidmiller’s two-run double with two outs in the third inning after Broncos right-hander Gregorio Martinez put the first two batters on base.

But the Broncos finally capitalized on opportunities in the bottom of the inning.

After Smith allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base, consecutive RBI singles by Clemente and Luany Sanchez put the Broncos back on top, 3-2.

They weren’t done.

After Smith put two on with no outs before being pulled for Ronnie Lowe, Dwayne White’s two-run single up the middle pushed the Broncos’ lead to 5-2.

After Clemente walked, Sanchez followed with another RBI single before Lowe forced Santiago Guerrero into a double play.

Amarillo cut its deficit in the sixth inning on Justin Wenger’s RBI single, and in the seventh on A.J. Johnson’s RBI single.

Martinez (4-0) earned the win. He threw 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits.
He struck out five and walked four.

Righty Benny Cepeda, who pitched in the one-inning contest before, got his second save of the season.

Smith (1-3) got the loss. He threw three innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
He struck out three and walked four.

The Broncos compiled six runs on nine hits to the Dillas’ four runs on nine hits.

Prior to the seven-inning game, the Broncos and Dillas made up the June 7 contest which the Broncos led 12-11 in the top of the ninth inning before the game was suspended after the lights went out.

Not only did the Broncos refuse to surrender the lead on Sunday, they added cushion when Guerrero drilled a two-run single with one out and Matt Lawman added a RBI single with two outs for the extra insurance.

Cepeda pitched the bottom of the ninth on Sunday to secure the win.

Dan Sausville (1-0) got the win after he pitched the sixth and seventh innings on June 7, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out one and walking one.

Ralph Roberts (1-3) got the loss after he pitched 2.2 innings in relief on June 7, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out two and walking one.

The Broncos will embark on a six-game road trip through Edinburg and Alexandria starting today in Edinburg.

The first half of the season ends on June 28.

BRONCO BITS: The Broncos’ Arnoldo Ponce (quad injury) and Ivan Reyes (tendinitis) are still sidelined with injuries. Ben Tinius and Clemente both played but were not near full health. Manager Dan Shwam said reliever Rhett Barber is out for the next few days after straining his arm. Ponce and Reyes are unlikely to accompany the Broncos on the six-game road trip. Johnny Lopez (hand injury) is three weeks away from returning and Mark Lewis (ACL tear) is approximately two weeks away.

Broncos continue to roll

Amarillo makes it interesting but Broncos win, 6-4.

Into the 7th

The Broncos get one hit in the 6th and nothing else.

If all goes their way, this game is three outs away from being done.

Wasylak is still on the mound for the Broncos.

Wasylak saves the day

Righty Dave Wasylak came in and dodged a two-on, one-out jam by forcing Josh Ashton into a double play to end the Dillas threat.

6-3 Broncos into the bottom of the 6th inning.

Martinez done

Martinez is done after loading the bases with one out before Justin Wenger's RBI single cut the Dillas' deficit to 6-3.

Change is overrated

The Broncos get one hit in the 5th and nothing more.

Same score heading into the 6th.

Martinez is still out on the mound for the Broncos.

Mighty Martinez

For the second consecutive inning, Martinez allows just one walk.

6-2 Broncos into the bottom of the inning.

Broncos continue to roll

The Broncos are getting the hang of capitalizing on opportunities.

After Josh Smith put two on with no out before being pulled for Ronnie Lowe, Dwayne White's two-run single up the middle pushed the Broncos' lead to 5-2.

After Edgard Clemente walked, Luany Sanchez followed with another RBI single before Lowe forced Santiago Guerrero into a double play.

6-2 Broncos into the 5th.

Smith is out

Josh Smith is out after allowing two walks to lead off the 4th.

He threw 3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked four.

Still 3-2

Martinez allows a walk in the 4th. Nothing more.

3-2 Broncos into the bottom of the inning.

Schneidmiller gives Dillas 2-1 lead

Gary Schneidmiller's two-run double with one out in the third gives the Dillas a 2-1 lead.

Martinez has had a tough go in the first and third innings of this game, though two runs is nothing to cry about. But he does look shaky with his control and is having a difficult time finishing off hitters.

Smith counters

Smith answered Martinez with a three-up, three-down of his own.

Into the 3rd inning, it's 1-0 Broncos.

Thrice up, thrice down

A three-up, three-down inning for Martinez.

1-0 Broncos into the bottom of the 2nd.

1-0 Broncos

Josh Smith ran into trouble early in the first inning, twice putting the bases loaded with one out, but escaped majestically as the Broncos only managed Edgard Clemente's deep sacrifice fly to left field with one out.

Overall, despite facing seven batters and allowing the first three Broncos to reach baseball, Smith surrendered one run on one hit.

1-0 Broncos into the 2nd.

Martinez avoids jam

Edinburg and Harlingen, both of whom claimed identical 14-24 records heading into today's action were eliminated from first-half playoff contention on Saturday night.

Also, Martinez avoids a jam after letting the leadoff batter double in the first inning.

0-0 into the bottom of the 1st.

Broncos hold on to lead

The Broncos held on to the lead and pulled away with a 15-11 win after it was concluded on Sunday.

Santiago Guerrero drilled a two-run single with one out, and Matt Lawman added a RBI single with two outs for the extra runs.

Dan Sausville (2-1) got the win.

Benny Cepeda pitched the bottom of the inning.

The Broncos sit at 19-19 as the Dillas fell to 24-13 heading into the upcoming seven-inning contest.

Gregorio Martinez (3-0) will start the contest for the Broncos. His opponent will be Josh Smith. 

Close to first pitch

We're about five minutes away from the one-inning continuation of the suspended contest 2 weeks ago.

Here are a few interesting tidbits about this contest.

- The Broncos will be without manager Dan Shwam and slugger Edgard Clemente. They were both suspended in the contest on June 6. Clemente would not have played anyway because of a bum shoulder.

- Dan Sausville is in line for the win if the Broncos can hold up their 12-11 lead.

Rounds 3 and 4

We're an hour away from the Broncos versus Dillas, Rounds 3 and 4.

The Broncos and Dillas will be making up the June 6 contest in Amarillo which the Broncos led 12-11 in the ninth inning today at 7 p.m. before playing  a seven-inning rubber game of a three-game series against the Dillas following immediately afterward. 

In the June 6 contest, Arnoldo Ponce was up with a 1-1 count when the lights at the ballpark went out. The game was officially suspended at that point, with none of the stats counting until the game would be completed. 

Benny Cepeda is slated to pitch the one-inning game for the Broncos. Gregorio Martinez (3-0) will start the seven-inning contest against the Dillas' Josh Smith.

Dillas sweep Broncos

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The Broncos fell deeper and deeper into United League Baseball purgatory after surrendering both games of Saturday night’s doubleheader at Veterans Field, 10-1 and 4-2.

Before a spirited crowd of 1,734, the Broncos’ offense encountered what all free-swinging teams which can’t manufacture runs face – low production when the bats aren’t patient and poised.

They compiled three runs on 12 hits in the two seven-inning games.

With the losses, the Broncos are firmly situated in fourth place in ULB after threatening to challenge for second place and a first-half playoff berth,
The Broncos fell to 18-19 while Amarillo, first-place in the league, is sitting high and mighty at 24-12.

Broncos outfielder Dwayne White also saw his 24-game hitting streak snapped when he went 0-for-3 with a walk in the first game of the doubleheader.

After a disastrous first game in which they lost by nine runs and hardly showed any life, the Broncos didn’t take long to get back on track – at least for a little while – as Steven Wright led off the first inning with a solo home run to deep left field off a 3-2 count.

After Anthony Bennett grounded out, Dwayne White walked and Luany Sanchez singled before Santiago Guerrero drilled a sharp RBI double down the first-base line to expand Laredo’s lead.

But the 2-0 Broncos lead would not last long.

With one out in the third inning, Broncos left-hander Sean Donlin ran into trouble by surrendering consecutive RBI singles to Danny Bravo and A.J. Johnson as the Dillas tied the game.

The Dillas took the lead on Keith Brachold’s booming solo homer to right center field to lead off the fifth inning.

That lead expanded in the fifth as Stephen Douglas scored on a wild pitch with one out.

Donlin (1-1) got the loss. He threw 5.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking three.

The Dillas’ Taylor Allen (4-2) threw a complete game, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking one.

The first game was no better for the Broncos.

With the game tied 1-1, the Dillas ended all doubts in the fifth inning.

After the Broncos tied the game in the fourth on Guerrero’s solo blast to deep right field with one out, Amarillo countered in the fifth as it took advantage of relievers Rhett Barber and Dave Wasylak.

With one out, Brachold scored off an error by Bennett when Bennett allowed Bravo’s single to dribble by him.

Brachold scored from second base while Bravo stretched his single into a double.

That error would ignite a series of hits and runs that would ultimately doom the Broncos.

The Dillas extended their lead moments later on Douglas’ RBI single and Justin Wenger’s two-run single.

After he walked Josh Ashton, Barber was mercilessly removed from the game as Wasylak was sent in.

The bleeding would not stop, however, as Wasylak promptly surrendered a single, a two-run single and two consecutive RBI singles before striking out Johnson to end the misery.

Offensively, the Broncos were perplexed by Dillas ace Marcos Castillo (5-1), who, other than taking sole possession of the ULB home run lead after allowing Guerrero’s bomb, had a dynamic outing, throwing a complete game, allowing one run on six hits while striking out five and walking one.

Broncos starter Dan Sausville got the no-decision, throwing four innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out two and walking four.

Barber (0-1) got the loss, throwing 0.2 innings, surrendering six runs (five earned) on three hits while walking three.

BRONCO BITS: The Broncos will make up the June 6 contest against Amarillo which they led 12-11 in the ninth inning today at 7 p.m. before playing the first game of a three-game series against the Dillas following immediately afterward. In the June 6 contest, Arnoldo Ponce was up with a 1-1 count when the lights at the ballpark went out. The game was officially suspended at that point, with none of the stats counting until the game would be completed. The game following the makeup inning will be a seven-inning affair. … Three batters (two Broncos) were hit by pitches on Saturday, though there was no apparent bad blood between the two clubs. … Ponce, Edgard Clemente and Ivan Reyes did not play on Saturday.

Broncos lose

Broncos fall in the second game, 4-2.

They are now at 18-19. 3 1/2 games back of second place.

Still 4-2 into the 7th

Three up, three down for Laredo.

Dillas lead 4-2

The Dillas' lead expands to 4-2 as Stephen Douglas scores on a wild pitch with one out in the 5th.

Donlin was pulled after walking Josh Ashton with one out.

He threw 5.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking three.

Rusty Jones came in and proceeded to retire the two batters he faced.

Not lookin' good...

The Broncos have compiled three hits in the last four innings.

This is a problem when it gets to the Laredo offense -- they are a team of free swingers and cannot manufacture runs at any cost.

So when they go in droughts, they are exclusive droughts that are glaring.

They have 12 hits in the last 12 innings.

3-2 Dillas heading into the 6th.

Dillas take the lead

Keith Brachold's booming solo homer to right center field to lead off the fifth inning gives Amarillo a 3-2 lead.

Same ol'

Broncos get two hits but nothing more in the 4th.

Still 2-2 into the 5th.

Donlin is back out on the mound for the Broncos.

Donlin counters

Donlin answers by outing the Dillas in 1-2-3 fashion in the 4th.

Still tied

Allen has now retired eight consecutive Broncos as Laredo goes down 1-2-3 in the 3rd.

More bad news

San Angelo and Alexandria both won tonight, putting the Broncos in more of a bind.

Current standings:

AMARILLO 23-12

SAN ANGELO 22-16

ALEXANDRIA 20-17

LAREDO 18-18

HARLINGEN 14-24

EDINBURG 14-24

2-2

Nothing's going the Broncos' way tonight.

With one out in the third inning, Donlin ran into trouble by surrendering consecutive RBI singles to Danny Bravo and A.J. Johnson as the Dillas tied the game.

2-2 heading into the bottom of the 3rd.

3 Up, 3 Down

Three up, three down for the Broncos in the 2nd.

Taylor Allen has retired five straight Broncos.

More great 'D'

Outfielders Anthony Bennett and Dwayne White both made terrific catches by the warning track to keep Donlin from harm after he put two on with one out.

Still 2-0 Broncos into the bottom of the 2nd.

Alive again

It didn't take long for the Broncos to get back on track as Steven Wright led off  the first inning with a solo home run to deep left field off a 3-2 count.

After Anthony Bennett grounded out, Dwayne White walked and Luany Sanchez singled before Santiago Guerrero drilled a sharp RBI double down the first-base line to expand Laredo's lead.

The Broncos compiled three hits in the inning to take a 2-0 lead into the 2nd.

Heady 'D'

Two gorgeous defensive plays by third baseman Ben Tinius and shortstop Eric Padilla highlight the top half of the first inning.

Donlin does not surrender a hit and allows just one baserunner, via the hit-by-pitch variety.

There have been four players hit by pitches tonight. Yet no bad blood between either team.

Interesting.

Broncos are up.

Another try...

The nice thing about a doubleheader? You can quickly move on.

Game 2 is minutes away from starting.

Sean Donlin (1-0, 2.57) will start for Laredo. His opponent is Taylor Allen (3-2, 5.52).

Santiago Guerrero is starting at first base this game.

Other than that, both lineups are basically the same.

A great crowd on hand tonight.

The reported number is 1,724. I actually think it's 200-300 more.

I can predict the future

Wow.

They really went 1-2-3.

Broncos fall, 10-1.

Game 2 comes up in 20-30 minutes.

God have mercy on this game

Staatz -- stop me if you've heard this before -- loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh before surrendering Andrew Wong's RBI single.

Stephen Douglas then flew out in foul territory behind the plate.

10-1 Dillas into the bottom of the inning.

(Can you say 1-2-3?)

Well, at least a lot of people are here to see this

The Broncos get one hit in the 6th, which might just be a victory in itself at this point.

They -- surprise, surprise -- get nothing rollin' offensively.

Same score, different inning. Six outs away from bliss.

Strong Staatz

Reliever Justin Staatz pitched the 6th for Laredo and did a considerably better job than his predecessors.

He allowed just one run and struck out one.

9-1 Dillas heading into the bottom of the inning.

Deflated

Obviously deflated by previous events, the Broncos go down 1-2-3 in the fifth.

What time's the second game?

Dillas open up game

The tie did not last long as the Dillas exploded with a seven-hit, eight-run fifth against Bronco relievers Rhett Barber and Dave Wasylak.

With one out, Keith Brachold scored off an error by Anthony Bennett when Bennett allowed Danny Bravo's single to dribble by him.

Brachold scored from second base and Schneidmiller stretched his single into a double.

That error would ignite a series of hits and runs that would ultimately doom the Broncos.

The Dillas extended their lead moments later on Stephen Douglas' RBI single and Justin Wenger's two-run single.

After he walked Josh Ashton, Barber was mercilessly removed from the game as right-hander David Wasylak was sent in.

The bleeding would not stop, however, as Wasylak promptly surrendered a single, a two-run single and two consecutive RBI singles before striking out A.J. Johnson to end the misery.

9-1 Dillas into the bottom of the fifth.

Sausville's line

Sausville finished with a line of four innings pitched, allowing one run on four hits while striking out two and walking four.

He was pulled with a 1-1 game.

Broncos tie the game

The Broncos tied the game quickly but missed a great opportunity to gain the lead and add cushion.

With one out, Santiago Guerrero dismissed his club's deficit with ease with a solo blast to deep right field.

After Matt Lawman struck out, Ben Tinius and Josh Morrison each drilled singles before Eric Padilla was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

But on a 3-2 count, Steven Wright hit a deep fly ball to right field to end the inning.

1-1 into the 5th.

Lefty Rhett Barber is in for Sausville.

1-0 Dillas

Sausville ran into trouble in the fourth inning.

Stephen Douglas' sacrifice fly to right field scored A.J. Johnson from third with one out before the Dillas loaded the bases with two outs.

Fortunately, Sausville escaped with just allowing the one run. He walked three in the inning and faced seven batters. 

It's unlikely he'll return for the fifth.

1-0 Dillas into the bottom of the 4th.

Dreary O

After Eric Padilla led off with a single, the Broncos went down 1-2-3 in the 3rd.

For those who care (and there can't be many since this blog is two weeks away from going live), White is 0-for-1 with a walk.

Still 0-0 into the 4th.

"K" for Sausville

Sausville gets his first two strikeouts in the 3rd inning, allowing only a hit as we are halfway through the first game of the doubleheader.

The Dillas have three hits in the game, one in each inning. The Broncos have one.

Broncos get first hit of the game

The Broncos got their first hit of the game on Ben Tinius' dribbler through the middle of the infield with one out in the 2nd.

Unfortunately the hit was sandwiched between a strikeout and double play. Womp womp.

Still 0-0 heading into the 3rd.

Sausville lucks out again

Sausville can thank the great defensive play of his infield for keeping him out of trouble.

After putting two on to lead off the 2nd, a great 4-6 double play calmed matters.

It's downright amazing that Sausville has faced just eight batters through 2 innings so far. It should be anywhere from 12 to 100 by now.

0-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.

No score

No score after the 1st inning after Laredo put two on with one out before Luany Sanchez flew out and Santiago Guerrero struck out.

Sausville escapes jam

Sausville escapes a two-on, one-out jam by forcing Danny Bravo into a 5-3 double play to end the first inning,

No score after half of an inning.

Line 'em up

OK, so maybe they were scared off with the idea of Guerrero at first base.

Luany Sanchez is at first today. Guerrero is DH'ing.

Here's today's lineup.

CF   Steven Wright

LF   Anthony Bennett

RF   Dwayne White

1B   Luany Sanchez

DH  Santiago Guerrero

2B   Matt Lawman

3B   Ben Tinius

C      Josh Morrison

SS    Eric Padilla

The Broncos will be going up against Marcos Castillo (4-1, 5.10 ERA), who is tied for Schon in the league lead for surrendering home runs (9).

Another significant note: Dwayne White is on a 24-game hitting streak, currently the longest in the league. He is hitting .394 with 30 RBIs and six homers this season.

Pre-game notes for tonight's double dip

Getting here early to Veterans Field is always a treat. 

The stadium is quiet but it's peaceful and players and management officials are always willing to talk more openly so early in the afternoon.

I managed to get here about two hours ago for a feature I'm doing on right-hander Andy Schon. Great guy, and even better interview. I'm looking forward to putting it all together.

Alright, enough with the blabber and on to the real stuff.

Dan Sausville (1-1, 5.85 ERA) will be starting the first game of tonight's doubleheader. He's made 14 appearances this season, with only one start.

Ivan Reyes (.246, 23 RBIs, six home runs) is out indefinitely with a hand injury. He will not be making the team's six-game road trip starting Monday and has been placed on the inactive list.

His absence means Santiago Guerrero -- normally an outfielder -- will be making his first start at first base. 

Trust me when I say team officials are highly concerned about that.

But in batting practice and while taking grounders, Guerrero fielded well at the position and seemed comfortable. Hitting Coach John Hinkle commented that it looks like Guerrero has played the infield before.

So maybe it's not as bad as people think.

Ben Tinius still has an ailing foot but looks like he's gonna give it a go. The team needs him.

Edgard Clemente is out for today's game. Arnoldo Ponce is likely out as well because he cannot run hard at all. 

Sean Donlin (1-0, 2.57 ERA) will start the second game of the doubleheader. To make room for him, Sausville will go on the inactive list following his start.

Reportedly, Amarillo got in town at 11 p.m. on Friday night after leaving at 11 p.m. on Thursday night.

It's obviously been a rough go for them and I'm not too sure how competitive they can manage to be tonight.

The Broncos, in spite of being injured, have all the opportunity in the world to steal two games tonight.

They currently sit 4 1/2 games out of first place and two games out of second.

Alexandria is a 1/2 game ahead of Laredo for third place after winning last night's contest against Edinburg, 7-5, in 10 innings.

The standings entering today's action are as follows:

AMARILLO 22-12

SAN ANGELO 21-16

ALEXANDRIA 19-17

LAREDO 18-17

HARLINGEN 14-23

EDINBURG 14-23

Broncos notebook

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

With Friday night’s games against Amarillo postponed after the Dillas’ bus broke down earlier in the afternoon, the Broncos (18-17) and Dillas (22-12) will essentially be playing four games in the next two nights.

Today’s schedule consists of an old-fashioned doubleheader of two seven-inning games, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Broncos will make up the June 6 contest against Amarillo, which they led 12-11 in the ninth inning, on Sunday at 7 p.m. before playing the first game of a three-game series against the Dillas following immediately afterward.

In the June 6 contest, the Broncos’ Arnoldo Ponce was up with a 1-1 count when the lights at the ballpark went out. The game was officially suspended at that point, with none of the stats counting until the game would be completed.

The game following the makeup inning will be a seven-inning affair.

While the circumstances will be a bit more strenuous, Friday’s postponement may work in the Broncos’ favor.

Four of their top five hitters – Edgard Clemente, Ben Tinius, Arnoldo Ponce, and Ivan Reyes – are struggling with an injury of some sort.

The fact that the last day off for the club was May 26 also plays a critical role.

“We’re really banged up and it’s been extremely tough,” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez said. “We’re getting hurt at the wrong time.”

Heading into today’s United League Baseball action, the Broncos were 2-½ games back of San Angelo (21-16) for second place.

Left-hander Sean Donlin (1-0, 2.57 ERA in two appearances) is slated to take the ball tonight for Laredo against the first-place Dillas.

REST, REST AND MORE REST

Should the Broncos qualify for the ULB playoffs by finishing as one of the top two teams following the first half of the season (which ends June 28), manager Dan Shwam has left no doubts about what his plan of action will be in the remaining 45 games.

“Winning a spot in the first half is extremely important because it allows us rest in the second (half),” said Shwam, whose team is in the latter stages of playing 36 consecutive games. “We need that rest. If we clinch in the first half, we could afford to rest Clemente, Ponce, Reyes, whoever needs it. We’d have that luxury and that’s why the first half is such a big deal.”

Shwam said if the Broncos can stay close, he would go out with “guns blazing” for the pivotal six game road trip to Edinburg and Alexandria, who is also in the mix for second place, starting on Monday.

“If we can stay close, then we’ll do all we can to do and whatever it takes to win on the road,” Shwam said. “Players will go all out and we can worry about rest after we clinch, hopefully.”

Shwam said he’s not surprised that Amarillo and San Angelo are the top two teams in the league at the moment. Neither has greatly suffered from the injury bug.

The Dillas have dressed 24 players this season. Amarillo has dressed 30.

The Broncos have had 36 players in uniform.

“The team that stays healthy and stays fresh, that’s the team that’s going to win,” Shwam said. “No matter what the circumstances, you do whatever you have to do to keep guys fresh and just ride the wave.”

CALLAWAY DESIRES RETURN TO KOREA

Broncos player/pitching coach Mickey Callaway is a couple of weeks away from returning to the mound after an elbow injury that has kept him out of commission for a little over a year.

Callaway, a 12-year veteran of professional baseball, is almost always out on the mound throwing to a catcher a few hours before each game, showing improvement each time he pitches.

The goal, he said, is to pitch sometime this season and hopefully go back to Korea, where he had played the previous three years, earning all-star honors twice.

“It would be nice to get back to the big leagues but it’s not what I’m shooting for,” said Callaway, who pitched five seasons in Major League Baseball. “Korea is less stressful and I’m happy there. In the big leagues, one bad outing and you’re gone. In Korea, it’s good competition and I can have fun playing professional baseball. If I can pitch this season and show teams that I’m capable of pitching again, I’d love to go back to Korea.”

Callaway, who lived in Soul while playing in Korea, said his family loves it there, noting it has all the major chain restaurants as America.

“It’s a great place, and they have great saunas and health treatment to where I feel I could play until I’m at least 38,” said the 33-year-old Callaway. “I just want to play again and I feel Korea would provide the best opportunity for me.”

Callaway plans to suit up for the Broncos as a starting pitcher in July, and will also play winter ball if necessary so teams know he is still capable of competing at an elite level.

Broncos game canceled

Tonight's Broncos game(s) against Amarillo have been postponed.

The Dillas' bus broke down on the highway and they would not have made it in time for the game.

Tonight's action ( a ninth-inning makeup for the June 6 suspended game followed by a seven-inning Game 1 of a three-game series) will be pushed to Sunday, and Saturday will consist of a doubleheader of two seven-inning games beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Broncos GM Jose Melendez said the players will be given today off, and Lord knows they need it. The Broncos' top five hitters are injured with some kind of ailment and the postponed game might actually be a blessing in disguise.

Here is the official link from the Broncos' website.

Broncos remain resilient despite adversity

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

In spite of an injury list that reads longer than Paris Hilton’s laundry list, the Broncos have managed to somehow, someway stay in the thick of the United League Baseball postseason race.

Following Thursday’s 8-5 loss to San Angelo at Veterans Field, the Broncos sit at 18-17 overall, 1 1/2 games back of the Colts for second place with 11 games remaining in the first half of the season.

The top two teams after the first half of the season qualify for the postseason and earn home-field advantage.

But as the Broncos enter the crucial stretch of the first half, their injury list contains the following standouts: Arnoldo Ponce (starter), Edgard Clemente (starter), Ben Tinius (starter), Ben Day and Mark Lewis (starter).

Even with such significant talent missing, manager Dan Shwam said the injuries have had little effect on the team’s demeanor.

“The morale is okay, we’re just tired,” he said on Thursday afternoon. “That’s why we’ve been taking unofficial official batting practices the last few days, even though guys came anyway. It’s just a matter of guys pacing themselves and getting the energy up.

“Thirty-six straight games is a lot without rest, especially when a lot of guys aren’t healthy. So it’s a matter of finding ways to keep guys fresh.”

The Broncos last had a day of rest on May 26. Their next day of rest will be July 2.

“It’s rough,” Shwam said. “But we just have to find ways to get guys rest and for them to stay fresh. It is what it is.”

Everyone in Broncos’ management is eager to see what the team is capable of when at full strength.

Thirty-two players – 16 pitchers and 16 position players – have worn the Broncos’ colors this season.

Eleven pitchers have made at least one start.

“This team has the potential to be very good,” Shwam said. “But we’ve never seen it. We don’t know how good we truly are because we have not had a healthy team and it’s been a challenge for us. But on paper, we’re better than anybody.
“We’ve just had a lot of unfortunate things happen but we’ve managed to stay in the thick of things.”

Heading into tonight’s contests against Amarillo, there are 10 games remaining. At least 25 wins would be needed to earn one of the two playoff spots.

Still, Shwam said he is relatively pleased with how his club has performed despite the adversity.

“If you told me that we’d be two games over .500 with all the injuries we’ve had and all the comings and goings and circumstances, I’d take that any day of the week,” he said. “Since day one, we’ve been banged up. We have not had five consecutive starts from our starters all year.

“It’s hard to win that way, but we’ve found a way.”

Broncos fall 1 1/2 games back of Colts

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The mood was desolate. The mannerisms were deflating. The night was silent.

And if the Broncos somehow do not qualify for the United League Baseball playoffs by finishing as one of the top two teams after the first half of the season, they will look back at this series against San Angelo and wonder what might have been.

The Broncos lost their second of three games against the Colts on Thursday night, falling 8-5 before a crowd of 1,024 at Veterans Field.

Against one of two teams which they are battling for second place, the Broncos’ offense – so solid all season long – never showed up for most of the game.

As a result, San Angelo improved to 20-16 for sole possession of second place.
Laredo (18-17) fell 1 ½ games behind San Angelo in the standings. It is tied with Alexandria for third place in ULB.

Thursday’s contest began like many for the Broncos, full of promise and potential.
The Broncos’ offense picked up right where it left off on Wednesday as Laredo took a 3-1 lead courtesy of a three-run, three-hit first inning.

After Steven Wright flew out and Anthony Bennett walked, Dwayne White boosted his hitting streak to 24 games with a RBI double, followed by Luany Sanchez’s RBI single.

After Santiago Guerrero singled, Matt Lawman’s sac RBI made it 3-1.

But Jose Torres drilled a two-run bomb with one out tied the game in the fourth inning.

It was an inning in which Broncos right-hander Andy Schon, who had suffered from a vicious stomach virus the night before, struggled greatly, surrendering four hits and allowing three of the first four batters he faced to reach base.

Those struggles continued in the next two innings.

After Aaron Cone drilled another two-run home run with one out in the fifth, Tyrone Pendergrass slapped a RBI single to right field in the sixth.

After Schon walked Bryan Frichter in the following at-bat, his night was done.

Schon (3-2) threw 5.2 innings, surrendering six runs (five earned) on 11 hits while striking out five and walking two.

The Colts would add two more runs as part of a three-hit ninth inning before Bennett’s RBI single with two outs in the inning finished the scoring.

Offensively, the Broncos managed little against Colts ace Luke Massetti.

Following his three-run, three hit first inning, Massetti (4-1) was dominant, retiring seven and five consecutive Broncos, respectively, at different points of the game.

He threw six innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out eight and walking one.

Right-hander Miliade Venas got his second save of the season.

The Colts compiled eight runs on 11 hits to the Broncos’ five runs on 10 hits.

BRONCO BITS: The Broncos will make up the June 6 contest against Amarillo which they led 12-11 in the ninth inning today at 7 p.m. before playing the first game of a three-game series against the Dillas following immediately afterward. In the June 6 contest, Arnoldo Ponce was up with a 1-1 count when the lights at the ballpark went out. The staff at Amarillo tried to get the lights back on, but all attempts were unsuccessful. The game was officially suspended at that point, with none of the stats counting until the game would be completed. The game following the makeup inning will be a seven-inning affair. … Catcher Josh Morrison entered Thursday’s game hitting .083 (2-for-24). He went 0-for-4 on Thursday, all strikeouts.

Broncos fall

Broncos lose, 8-5.

San Angelo claims sole possession of second place.

Laredo and Alexandria, which also won, are tied for third place.

Ten games remain for Laredo in the first half of the season.

Colts' lead expands

Crawford allows two runs on two hits as the Colts' lead balloons to 8-4 in the 9th.

Charley Belew drilled a RBI single with one out, and Crawford allowed a bases-loaded walk to Tyrone Pendergrass with two outs.

Mulle is still in and he'll start the 9th against the Broncos.

1-2-Blah!

Another 1-2-3 inning for the Colts, this one courtesy of Ryan Mulle.

Righty Nathan Crawford is in for Laredo to pitch the 9th.

Jones does his job

Jones allowed a two-out walk to Bryan Frichter in the 8th but otherwise came away unscathed.

Still 6-4 Colts heading into the bottom of the inning.

Closer

Dwayne White again played the role of slugger with a RBI single in the seventh to cut the Broncos' deficit to 6-4.

Sausville is out. 

Lefty Rusty Jones is in to start the 8th for the Broncos.

Still 6-3

The Colts put two on with two out in the 7th but Sausville escapes.

Time is running out on Laredo as it will hit up the top of the order.

Still 6-3 Colts into the bottom of the 7th.

Massetti has been pulled. Ryan Mulle (1-2, 5.28 ERA) is in for relief.

Massetti threw six innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out eight and walking one.

Not helpin' matters

Massetti has been absolutely dominant since giving up three runs on three hits in the 1st.

He went through his second 1-2-3 inning of the game in the 6th as the Broncos' offense has been quieted.

Schon removed; Colts pad lead

The Broncos are slowly and agonizingly watching second place slip from their gasp as Schon struggled for a third straight inning.

After allowing a walk and a single to lead off the 6th, he got John Anderson to hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

But Tyrone Pendergrass slapped a RBI single to right field, and when Schon walked Bryan Frichter in the following at-bat, that was the end of the night for him.

Dan Sausville came in and abruptly got Andres Rodriguez to ground into a fielder's choice.

Schon threw 5.2 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on 11 hits while striking out five and walking two.

6-3 Colts into the bottom of the 6th.

Still 5-3 Colts

Massetti surrenders a mere single between a strikeout and two groundouts in the 5th.

Dwayne White tallied the single for the Broncos.

5-3 San Angelo into the 6th.

Deja vu

Another two-run blast with one out for San Angelo, this one courtesy of Aaron Cone.

Clearly not Schon's night, and I'm wondering if he has truly recovered from last night's stomach virus.

5-3 Colts into the bottom of the 5th.

Mighty Massetti

The Broncos break Massetti's seven consecutive retired batters on Eric Padilla's RBI single to left but that would be the only good news offensively for Laredo.

Padilla's single was overwhelmed by three more strikeouts for Massetti, who has five for the game.

3-3 heading into the 5th.

Back to square one

Jose Torres' two-run bomb with one out ties the game at 3-3.

Schon struggled mightily in the 4th, surrendering four hits and allowing three of the first four batters he faced to reach base.

The 7-8-9 hitters are up for Laredo in the bottom of the 4th.

Massetti startin' to groove

Massetti has retired five straight Broncos after throwing his first 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd.

3-1 Broncos into the 4th.

Sparklin' Schon

Another one-hit, no-run showing for Schon in the 3rd.

So far, so good for Laredo through 2 1/2 innings.

Broncos still lead 3-1

The Broncos get no hits in the 2nd, though Steven Wright reached by error.

Still 3-1 Broncos into the 3rd.

Quiet inning for Colts

Another fine inning by Schon as he gets a strikeout and allows just one hit in the 2nd.

He's faced nine batters and has struck out two through two innings.

Broncos lead 3-1 into the bottom of the 2nd.

White extends hitting streak; Broncos take 3-1 lead

The Broncos' offense picked up right where it left off on Wednesday as Laredo took a 3-1 lead courtesy of a three-run, three-hit first inning.

After Steven Wright flew out and Anthony Bennett walked, Dwayne White boosted his hitting streak to 24 games with a RBI double, followed by Luany Sanchez's RBI single.

After Santiago Guerrero singled, Matt Lawman's sac RBI made it 3-1.

White's hitting streak is the longest in the league and the best in Broncos' team history.

Colts strike first

Schon is showing no ill effects after suffering a horrible stomach virus last night.

He told me earlier today that he slept from 11 p.m. on Tuesday to 3 p.m. on Monday after eating some bad wings.

But he surrendered a RBI double from Andres Rodriguez in the first inning as the Colts took a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 1st.

The rubber game...with 2nd place on the line

I've been at the park since 4:15 p.m. so obviously there's a lot to say:

First, Manager Dan Shwam's goal is to clinch a playoff spot by finishing as one of the top two teams after the first half of the season.  He's not beating around the bush at all...that's his goal and he wants to do so so that he can rest his veterans during the second half of the season and get everyone healthy and ready for the playoffs.

“If you told me that we’d be two games over .500 with all the injuries we’ve had and all the comings and goings and circumstances, I’d take that any day of the week," Shwam said earlier today. "Since day one, we’ve been banged up. We have not had five consecutive starts from our starters all year. It’s hard to win that way, but we’ve found a way.”

Unfortunately, impeding his mission is the fact that his injury list reads longer than Paris Hilton's laundry list: Arnoldo Ponce, Ben Tinius, Edgard Clemente, Ben Day, and Mark Lewis.

Ponce is expected to return within the next few days. Tinius hurt is foot and has been walking around all day with a huge ice pack taped to it but I think he intends to give it a go. Clemente's timetable for return is unknown and is a primary cause of concern among Bronco officials. Day is still awhile away from playing, as is Lewis.

Here's today's lineup for the Broncos:

CF  Steven Wright

DH  Anthony Bennett

LF  Dwayne White

1B  Luany Sanchez

RF  Santiago Guerrero

2B  Matt Lawman

3B  Ivan Reyes

C   Josh Morrison

SS  Eric Padilla

Tonight's pitching matchups:

Broncos RHP Andy Schon (3-1, 5.06) vs. San Angelo ace Luke Massetti (3-1, 4.63).

A win tonight, to repeat again, puts the Broncos (18-16) in second place, a half-game ahead of the Colts (19-16).

Currently, Laredo is tied with Alexandria for being a half-game back of 2nd place.

Here are the standings for the league heading into tonight's action:

AMARILLO          21-12         L 2

SAN ANGELO      19-16         L1

LAREDO               18-16        W 1

ALEXANDRIA     18-16         W 2

EDINBURG          14-21         W 2

HARLINGEN       13-22         L 4

Talkin' Broncos

It's 2:49 a.m. and I can't sleep.

All that I can think about is how important tonight's game is going to be. OK, it's not all I can think about but one of the main things.

The Broncos are 18-16. The Colts are 19-16. Pretty darn close.

If the Broncos win, they move a half-game ahead of San Angelo for second place in United League Baseball with 12 games remaining. As has been discussed before, that would mean the Broncos would take the lead for qualifying for the postseason since the top two teams after the first half of the season make the playoffs.

It's a pretty big deal and would be huge for Broncos GM Jose Melendez and Manager Dan Shwam.

Why?

It would afford necessary rest. While you don't want to completely lose momentum, rhythm or focus, if injuries occur (and the Broncos have had more than their share through 34 games), then you could rest players and use the chance to evaluate the young talent.

Simply put, the Broncos could worry about having a fully healthy club for the playoffs instead of stressing about qualifying.

Melendez said he's almost certain he won't go the route of "playing safe and cautious" but he would at least have the option.

So it's a big deal.

Also, there's this: following today's game, the Broncos will have a shot at facing Amarillo, the league's top team, in a three-game series at Veterans. But more importantly, afterward, they'll have six-game road swing to Edinburg -- one of the league's worst teams -- and Alexandria -- a so-so club which Laredo has proven to have success against. Even if the Broncos lose two of three against Amarillo (which isn't too bad of a guess since the Dillas are winning at about a .667 percent clip), and grab 4 of 6 games on the road trip, it would be a great chance to end the first half on a high note.

If Laredo can get to 24 wins or so through the first half of the season, that would be huge considering all the injuries, transactions and poor pitching they've had to go through.

It would also be a nice story, as one of the league's absolute worst teams in 2007 made a complete turnaround to qualify for the playoffs after just half of the season.

Pretty uplifting, huh?

But first things first, and they have to take care of business tonight.

Andy Schon reportedly had a stomach virus on Thursday and Melendez was unsure of his status late Thursday night.

If healthy, the Broncos will have as good of a shot as any going against Colts ace Luke Massetti. And after a pitiful performance in Game 1 of the series, to win two straight against a strong Colts team would be what the doctor ordered heading into an intriguing Amarillo series.

************

Melendez said Arnoldo Ponce's quad injury is nothing too serious and expects him to be ready to play by Friday.

The true concern is in regard to Edgard Clemente, who reportedly has been playing with a bum shoulder for awhile now.

It's no coincidence that the Broncos' offense, until last night, was dead with him out of the lineup. He's a pure slugger and can add pop at any moment.

The more I think about it, the more I'm amazed the Broncos are two games above .500 with all the injuries they have.

Prior to Thursday's game, Laredo had gone through 16 pitchers and 16 position players. 11 pitchers have started at least one of 34 games.

With all the instability and constant movement -- even more so than usual for minor league baseball -- it speaks to Shwam's managing ability and Melendez's sound evaluation of talent to plug in guys who are ready to play and can perform through any circumstance.

Consider this: with it getting to crunch time and with games becoming more and more meaningful with each passing day, the Broncos have had to scrap their rotation and come with a new one.

The lineup of: Santo Hernandez, John Odom, Gregorio Martinez, Sean Donlin and Andy Schon (1-5) is gone.

In is: Schon, Donlin, Martinez, Hernandez and Richard Bartlett.

The revised rotation will officially start up today, though it has been in the works since last Saturday.

***********

In case you skipped all the way down here just to see how long this blog is and how I could possibly be even thinking about minor league baseball at (now) 3:19 a.m., here's a short synopsis.

The Broncos are hurt. But not down.

The next four games are big. Big, big, big, and their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs after the first half rides on these contests.

32 players have worn the Broncos' colors through 34 games this year.

Yet they are still just a half-game back of second place in United League Baseball, and can move into second outright with a win tonight.

Broncos' win moves them a half-game back of 2nd place

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The Broncos’ godsends Wednesday night were pitchers who arrived in Laredo just two days ago and had yet to pitch in a game all season.

In a critical series with second place in United League Baseball on the line, right-handed starter Richard Bartlett and lefty reliever Rhett Barber performed admirably, shutting down United League Baseball’s top offense as the Broncos overwhelmed the San Angelo Colts, 9-3, before a crowd of 712 at Veterans Field.

The Broncos improved to 18-16 with the win as the Colts fell to 19-16.

San Angelo is still a half-game ahead of Laredo for second place in the league heading into today’s rubber game.

Bartlett (1-0), pitching in the No. 5 spot, threw 5.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out seven and walking three to earn his first win in his first outing this year.

In three innings of relief, Barber allowed no runs on no hits while striking out four and walking two, earning his first save in his first appearance this season.

The Colts jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Bryan Frichter and Aaron Cone each drilled RBI doubles in the first and third innings, respectively.

But that would be the last thing heard from the Colts in a while as Laredo scored three runs on two hits in consecutive innings to take a 6-2 lead.

In the third inning, Dwayne White, who extended his hitting streak to 23 games, scored on a wild pitch before Luany Sanchez drilled a RBI double.

Santiago Guerrero’s RBI groundout ended the scoring in the inning.

In the following inning, the Colts did all they could to add to the Broncos’ lead.

Ivan Reyes scored on a passed ball before Matt Lawman scored on a wild pitch.

White would add insult to injury with a RBI double to extend Laredo’s lead to four runs.

The Broncos would blow open the game in the sixth, scoring three runs on two hits, highlighted by White’s three-run blast with two outs to left center field.

But it was Barber’s performance in the seventh that really fired up Bronco fans.

After righty Justin Staatz left him with a two-on no-out jam following Frichter’s RBI single in the seventh, Barber escaped brilliantly, forcing a flyout before striking out the next two batters to escape the inning unharmed.

He then proceeded to tally two more strikeouts in the eighth, dousing any hopes of a late Colts rally.

He earned the save in the ninth after forcing another flyout and a double-play after walking Robert Mendoza to leadoff the inning.

Colts starter Billy McKinney (0-2) got the loss, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing eight runs (six earned) on nine hits while striking out four and walking four.

White led the Broncos at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk and four RBIs, finishing a triple short of the cycle.

Lawman also tallied three hits, in four at-bats, and Sanchez and Ben Tinius had two hits apiece.
The Broncos compiled 11 hits and one error as the Colts managed six hits and no errors.

Right-hander Andy Schon (3-1, 5.06 ERA) is slated to start tonight’s game for Laredo.

His opponent will be Colts ace Luke Massetti (3-1, 4.63).

BRONCO BITS: To make room for Bartlett on Laredo’s roster, reliever Julian Williams was released. Williams was 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in 12 appearances. He struck out 23 and walked 14 in 22.2 innings pitched. … Edgard Clemente and Arnoldo Ponce were held out of Wednesday’s contest due to injury. Clemente has a bum shoulder and also missed Tuesday’s contest. He will be evaluated on Friday. Ponce has a quad injury that was aggravated on Tuesday. His timetable for return is unknown. … Left-hander Sean Donlin is expected to be activated off the inactive list on Friday. He injured his side approximately two weeks ago and has been out of action since. “I haven’t been in pain for awhile now,” Donlin told Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez on Wednesday. “And I’m throwing 100 percent. I’m ready to go.” Donlin, the Broncos’ No. 4 starter, is in line to start Friday’s game if all goes as planned.

Broncos win

Barber gets his first save in his first outing this season as Broncos win, 9-3.

Laredo is now a half-game back of San Angelo for second place in ULB.

Final three outs?

Greanade pitched a fine eighth inning, allowing no hits and walking one and striking out one.

Barber is out to start the 9th. As well as the Bronco newbies have performed today, it's only fitting that he finishes what Bartlett started.

Barber continues to excel

Barber pitched a no-hit, no-run 8th as the Broncos still lead 9-3.

He threw two strikeouts in the inning and it appears he'll likely stay in to close the game.

Greanade is still in for San Angelo.

9-3 Broncos into the 8th

Ben Tinius led off the 7th with a single but nothing else came about for the Broncos.

9-3 Broncos into the 8th.

Barber is still in to start the 8th for Laredo.

Barber escapes

Barber did an excellent job to escape a two-on, one-out jam that only Peter Griffin would find humor in.

After Staatz left, Barber forced a flyout and then struck out the next two batters to end the 7th.

Leave it to the newcomers to shine for the Broncos tonight, considering they'd been getting zip, zilch, nada from their normal bullpen pitchers.

Both Bartlett and Barber, who weren't even in Laredo two days ago, have pitched admirably so far.

9-3 Broncos into the bottom of 7th.

Greanade is still in for San Angelo.