By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
The Broncos took advantage of a doubleheader against the Harlingen WhiteWings on Saturday, winning both seven-inning contests before a crowd of 572 at Veterans Field.
A thrilling 2-1 Game 1 win paved way for another 2-1 victory in the following game as the Broncos jumped three games over. 500.
“It was very important to win these two games for momentum on the (upcoming) road trip,” Broncos Manager Dan Shwam said. “These three teams (Amarillo, San Angelo and Edinburg) we’ll face on this eight-day road trip are very tough so this was important as far as keeping pace.”
Laredo, which went 5-1 on its six-game homestand, improved to 27-24 and boasts a five-game winning streak, the longest in United League Baseball.
Harlingen, the league’s worst club, fell to 16-35 and holds a five-game losing streak.
The Broncos sit in fourth place, 6 ½ games ahead of Edinburg and 11 games ahead of Harlingen, for the fourth and final playoff spot.
After a standout, complete-game performance in Game 1, the Broncos had a trio of pitchers throw strongly in Game 2.
After striking first on Luany Sanchez’s RBI double with two outs in the first inning, the Broncos expanded their lead on Ben Tinius’ RBI single in their third.
But Broncos right-hander Dan Sausville ran into trouble in the fourth inning, walking the first three batters he faced to load the bases with no outs.
Fortunately, he escaped the jam, surrendering nothing more than Joel Gonzalez’s RBI single before striking out Terry Roblez and forcing Amadeo Zazueta into a pivotal double play to end Harlingen’s threat.
Right-hander David Wasylak entered in the seventh inning and earned his second save of the season.
Sausville (3-1) got the win, throwing four innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out six and walking six.
The WhiteWings’ Angel Cordero (1-5) got tagged with the loss, throwing six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one.
A pitchers’ duel in Game 1 had set the tone for the evening before Tinius’ electric walk-off solo blast to left center field with one out in the seventh inning enabled the Broncos to get the doubleheader started off on a good note.
Broncos right-hander Santo Hernandez and WhiteWings righty Todd Lutz each pitched spectacularly, combining for 4 ½ scoreless innings to start the game.
But with the game tied 1-1 heading into the seventh, Tinius allowed Hernandez the win by taking a pitch deep in the count to left center.
“It was my first (walk-off home run) so it came at a good time,” Tinius said. “Lutz had struck me out with the same pitch before, a changeup late in the count. I was looking for something in and up. I atleast wanted to get a double and put some runners on and I certainly wasn’t expecting a home run.
“It felt good.”
It was Tinius’ second home run of the season.
Lutz retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed just one hit through 4 2/3 innings before surrendering Anthony Bennett’s RBI single with two outs in the fifth.
Hernandez, though, who had faced the minimum over the first four innings, obliged by allowing Gonzalez’s solo home run – his first of his career – to lead off the sixth, setting the stage for Tinius’ eventual heroics.
Hernandez improved to 6-3, throwing a complete game and allowing one run on four hits while striking out 10 and walking one.
Lutz fell to 2-3. He, too, pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking none.
“These (pitching duels, close games) are the type of games we would like to play,” Shwam said. “Defense, timely hitting, that’s what we want.
“We got Tinius’ big hit in the first game and then did just enough to pull out the second game. We played defense, we pitched, and we did those things well.”
The Broncos will embark on the aforementioned eight-game road trip, which begins today in Amarillo.
Their next home game will be on July 17 when they start a four-game series against Alexandria.
“The big thing is that we won the Edinburg series and then won this series (during the homestand), and those are the teams that are behind us,” Tinius said. “We know we need to keep them down so that we’re able to be in the playoffs in the end.”
BRONCO BITS: Transactions have been quiet for the Broncos since the second half of the season started. Expect to continue along that road. The Broncos were originally seeking a power hitter to add to the lineup to afford Edgard Clemente (injured hamstring) some rest, but are looking more and more toward the return of Johnny Lopez, who they feel can assume that power role. … Luany Sanchez’s streak of five straight games with a home run was broken when he went homerless in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader. … Broncos GM Jose Melendez said approximately 5,100 showed up for the Broncos’ July 4 contest on Friday. That beat out last year’s attendance on July 4, which was around 4,500. … The Broncos have unofficially named five players to the ULB All-Star Game on July 15 in San Angelo – pitchers Santo Hernandez (6-3, 2.87 ERA) and Gregorio Martinez (4-1, 4.82), catcher Luany Sanchez (.340, 55 RBIs, 13 HRs), outfielder Dwayne White (.391, 39, 7) and designated hitter Edgard Clemente (.359, 39, 8). Clemente is not expected to attend the All-Star game due to his ailing hamstring.
(Dennis Silva II may be reached at 728-2579 or dsilva@lmtonline.com)
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