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.