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.