Broncos win

Unfortunately, due to a disconnected wireless system at Veterans, I was unable to live blog from the game.

A shame, since the Broncos pulled off a 8-4 win before a crowd of 559. Gregorio Martinez (1-1) was the winning pitcher. He threw six innings, allowing 4 runs - 1 earned - on 7 hits.

Drew Coffey (0-1) was the losing pitcher for the Colts.

The Broncos got eight runs on 10 hits and committed 2 errors. The Colts managed four runs on 10 hits with one error.

Here's the game story that will run in tomorrow's LMT.

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By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The Broncos made two drastic moves to their lineup on Wednesday.

The result was a win, just their second of the season, and a snapped losing skid of five defeats in six games.

The team welcomed star shortstop and former Seattle Mariner Luis Ugueto and also announced the signing of slugger Rafael Ozuna.

Both played key roles as the Broncos nipped the San Angelo Colts, 8-4, before a crowd of 559 at Veterans Field.

“It was a big improvement from the way we had been playing,” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez said. “We’re still shaky defensively but I truly feel we’ll put things together soon.”

The win boosted Laredo’s record to 2-5 as San Angelo fell to 4-3.

Ugueto, who contributed to Venezuela’s 2009 Caribbean World Series championship team, was the leadoff hitter in Wednesday’s lineup.

He went 1-for-2 with three walks and also showed nice speed along the basepath.

Ozuna, who played with United League Baseball’s Alexandria Aces last season and hit .326 with 42 RBIs and 10 home runs, hit sixth in the lineup and played second base on Wednesday.
He quickly showed why he was brought on board.

With the Broncos trailing 3-2, Ozuna and Jake Wells each drilled two-run doubles in the third inning to push the Gateway Gang ahead for good.

“With them (Ugueto and Ozuna) on hand, we’re a much improved team and we’ll be so much better defensively,” Melendez said. “You can tell just from them playing their first game how much of an impact they’ll have, especially once they get acclimated.”

Mario Mendez hit the second of his two sacrifice RBIs in the fourth inning to extend the Broncos’ advantage to 7-4 before the team added another run for good measure.

The Broncos got on the board quickly by scoring two runs in the first inning.

Mendez’s first sacrifice RBI to center scored Ugueto before O.J. Garza stole home moments later.

The Colts countered with three runs in the third to take the lead, though all were unearned for Broncos right-hander Gregorio Martinez, who threw a fine game after surrendering five earned runs in 6.1 innings in his initial start last week.

Continuing along with the back-and-forth pace, the Broncos scored four runs in their frame of the third, setting the stage for Mendez’s second sacrifice RBI.

Colts left-handed starter Drew Coffey (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

He threw four innings and surrendered seven runs – three earned – on seven hits.
He struck out one and walked three.

Martinez rebounded nicely from his previous outing.

He improved to 1-1 on the season and allowed four runs – one earned – on nine hits in six innings of work.

He struck out four and walked three.

The two clubs conclude their four-game series, which the Broncos currently lead 2-1, tonight at Veterans Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.