Broncos lose 3rd straight game, fall 12-2

The Broncos lost their third consecutive game on Saturday night, falling 12-2 to the Coastal Bend Thunder in Robstown.

Laredo is now 2-8 on the season as Coastal Bend improved to 5-5. Game 3 of the four-game series is tonight at Fairgrounds Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Broncos jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Andres “El Monkey” Santos’ RBI single in the first inning, but it all fell apart from there as the Thunder scored four runs in their half of the inning to pull ahead for good, 4-1.

Laredo’s lone other run came on Mario Mendez’s third homer of the season, a solo blast in the third inning.

Broncos starter Dave Wasylak was pulled in the third as the Thunder’s lead grew to 5-2.

Wasylak lasted 3 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs on six hits.

He walked six and struck out two.

But relievers Edgar Soto and Nathan Crawford would go through a hellacious fifth inning that left little chance for a late Laredo rally.

The duo gave up four runs on only two hits, but compiled three walks and two wild pitches.

The Thunder extended their lead once more in the seventh inning on RBI singles by Amadeo Zazueta and Juvy Ibarra.

The Broncos scored two runs on nine hits and had two errors, while the Thunder scored 12 runs on 16 hits and had one error.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Broncos released starting pitcher Maximo de la Cruz.

De la Cruz went 0-1 with a 11.42 ERA for the Broncos, surrendering 11 earned runs on 14 hits in 8.2 innings pitched.

He walked six and struck out eight.