WhiteWings eliminate Broncos from playoff contention

The Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings completed the four-game sweep of the Laredo Broncos with a 12-1 victory Wednesday at Veterans Field, eliminating the Broncos from playoff contention.

The WhiteWings are now winners of five straight, while the Broncos are losers of 14 in a row.

Luis Arroyo (2-8) pitched in and out of trouble in the first two innings, but the WhiteWings (33-35) knocked him out in the third.

Agustin Septimo and Joaquin Rodriguez drew leadoff walks. Rico Santana followed with a RBI double. After a Brian Nichols single moved Santana to third, Juan Melo hit a sacrifice fly. Welinson Baez followed with a RBI-single. One out later, Juan Cabrera hit a RBI double.

Broncos reliever Carlos Alvarez entered the game and gave up a RBI single to Justin Holloway to make it 6-0.

Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth inning. One out later, Nichols reached on a fielder’s choice. Melo followed with his first home run with the WhiteWings to make it 8-0.

In the top of the fifth inning, Broncos reliever Edgar Soto fell behind Jose Torres 3-0 and then hit him with a pitch. Torres moved to second on a passed ball and scored when Holloway reached on an error to make it 9-0.

Nichols and Melo led off the sixth inning with singles. Baez grounded into a fielder’s choice to move Nichols to third and Torres reached on a fielder’s choice to send Nichols home, making it 10-0.

The Broncos (21-47) finally broke through against Jose Cordero (1-0) in the bottom of the seventh.

With one out, Derek Beckman walked and moved to second on a groundout. Jaime Morales followed with an infield single, moving Beckman to third. Cordero threw the ball away, allowing Morales to score to make it 10-1.

That unearned run was the only blemish against Cordero, who scattered seven hits and three walks while striking out five in seven innings in his WhiteWings debut.

The Broncos brought first baseman/outfielder Robert Moron into the game to pitch the ninth.

Holloway led off the inning with a single. One out later, Rodriguez singled and Santana hit a RBI-double. One out after that, Mark Ramos picked up his first career RBI with a single to make it 12-1.