Pre-game for Broncos vs. Colts, Game 2

I'm here at Veterans after taking yesterday off to work desk at the paper while our reporter was covering the Heat playoff game.

It's Game 2 of a three-game series between San Angelo (44-27) and Laredo (36-40).

Santo Hernandez (7-5, 3.07 ERA) is on the mound tonight for the Broncos. His opponent is Frank James (4-5, 5.59).

Hernandez still leads ULB in ERA and strikeouts.

The Broncos are 5-5 in their last 10 games while the Colts are steaming hot, having won eight of their last 10 games.

Laredo is still one game up on Edinburg for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Coyotes fell to Amarillo, 14-6, last night.

There has been little roster movement of late for the Broncos, though a few moves might be made prior to tomorrow's 5 p.m. deadline for transactions.

So I'll keep you updated on that.

Here's tonight's lineup:

DH   Sean Gamble

2B   Ivan Reyes

C     Luany Sanchez

CF  Edgard Clemente

LF   Dwayne White

SS   Arnoldo Ponce

1B   Matt Imwalle

3B   Ben Tinius

RF   Josue Gonzalez

Colts snap Broncos' winning streak

The Broncos saw their three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the San Angelo Colts on Saturday as they fell, 4-1, before a crowd of 1,003 at Veterans Field.

Game 2 of the three-game series is slated for tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The Broncos fell to 36-40.

Edinburg, who was a game behind the Broncos for the fourth and final playoff spot heading into Saturday’s action, was trailing Amarillo 13-6 in the seventh inning late Saturday.

The Colts (44-27) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning before the Broncos struck in the second, cutting their deficit by a run on Ben Tinius’ RBI single.

From that point, both starting pitchers – Bryan Henschel for the Colts and Sean Donlin for the Broncos – took over as neither team would score again until the eighth inning.

In relief for Donlin, right-hander Mickey Callaway surrendered a run by Bryan Frichter.

San Angelo would add an insurance run in the ninth on Joe Rhomberg’s RBI single.

Luke Massetti earned his first save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Donlin fell to 2-5 despite pitching solidly, surrendering two runs on five hits in six innings of work.

He walked two and struck out two.

Henschel improved to 9-3 and surrendered one run on six hits in eight innings.

He walked one and struck out three.

Callaway ended up pitching three innings of relief as he gets closer to making his first start of the season.

He surrendered two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Broncos scored one run on seven hits and committed two errors.

The Colts scored four runs on nine hits and committed one error.

Colts snap Broncos' winning streak

LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The Broncos saw their three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the San Angelo Colts on Saturday as they fell, 4-1, before a crowd of 1,003 at Veterans Field.

Game 2 of the three-game series is slated for tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The Broncos fell to 36-40.

Edinburg, who was a game behind the Broncos for the fourth and final playoff spot heading into Saturday’s action, was trailing Amarillo 13-6 in the seventh inning late Saturday.

The Colts (44-27) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning before the Broncos struck in the second, cutting their deficit by a run on Ben Tinius’ RBI single.

From that point, both starting pitchers – Bryan Henschel for the Colts and Sean Donlin for the Broncos – took over as neither team would score again until the eighth inning.

In relief for Donlin, right-hander Mickey Callaway surrendered a run by Bryan Frichter.

San Angelo would add an insurance run in the ninth on Joe Rhomberg’s RBI single.

Luke Massetti earned his first save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Donlin fell to 2-5 despite pitching solidly, surrendering two runs on five hits in six innings of work.

He walked two and struck out two.

Henschel improved to 9-3 and surrendered one run on six hits in eight innings.

He walked one and struck out three.

Callaway ended up pitching three innings of relief as he gets closer to making his first start of the season.

He surrendered two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Broncos scored one run on seven hits and committed two errors.

The Colts scored four runs on nine hits and committed one error.

A not so minor issue in the minor leagues

Quite an interesting story that just popped up on the AP wire in regard to the image in minor league baseball.

You can read it here.

I've personally never seen the Broncos engage in a brawl. Then again, I cover mostly home games, though I can also say I've never once heard of the team involved in one in its three years of existence.

But it does seem to me that minor league franchises take themselves a bit seriously at times. Yes, the basis is athletic competition, but the bigger picture is how it can attract fans and if fans can relate to players enough to want to see them play every day.

Violent acts have no place in minor leagues.

The M.O. of minor league franchises should be to produce a quality, competitive product while being family-friendly.

A lot of franchises seem to have a hard time of grasping that, leading to acts such as the ones listed in the story.

Dwayne White feature; staying in

Here's my feature on Broncos outfielder Dwayne White that ran in today's paper.

White is a quiet and modest fellow, and you'll see that he was somewhat reluctant to talk about his own career and life. It didn't matter. He had plenty of other people who had nothing but glowing words about him.

In talking with Broncos management, everyone agrees he's the most talented on the team and has the best chance of moving up quickly.

He's had a remarkable year, and for a guy who hit .250 entering this season to be hitting mid-30s now shows his dedication and commitment to getting better each and every day.

Anyway, the Broncos are hosting San Angelo tonight for the start of a three-game series at Veterans.

Laredo (36-39) is a game ahead of Edinburg (33-38) for the fourth and final playoff spot.

The Colts (43-29) enter the series having won seven of their last 10 games.

First pitch is slated for 7:35 p.m.

Edinburg coughs up tie with 18-2 debacle

The Coyotes gave up their tie with Laredo in astonishing fashion.

At 33-38, Edinburg is now a game behind the Broncos for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Laredo welcomes San Angelo (43-27) for a three-game set starting tonight as Edinburg is in Amarillo to face the Dillas (41-32).

Broncos back on winning track after sweep of WhiteWings

After losing seven of 11 games, the Broncos are very much back on the winning track after sweeping a three-game series against Harlingen.

The Broncos completed the sweep with a 2-0 win on Friday.

They now sit at 36-39 as they engage in a six-game homestand starting with Game 1 of a three-game series tonight against San Angelo.

Entering Friday’s action, Laredo was tied with Edinburg for the fourth and final playoff spot.
The score of the Coyotes’ contest against San Angelo on Friday was unknown as of presstime.

Harlingen fell to 18-52 and still sit in last place in United League Baseball.

Gregorio Martinez improved to 6-3, surrendering no runs on five hits in seven innings of work.
He struck out 10 and walked one.

David Watkins pitched the ninth to earn his third save of the season, and second in as many nights.

The Broncos scored on Luany Sanchez’s RBI single in the third inning, and Anthony Bennett’s RBI single with two outs in the fourth.

The WhiteWings’ lone threat would come in the eighth inning against reliever Dave Wasylak, who put two on with two out before getting Kevin Griffin to fly out to end the threat.

Harlingen starter Brock Nehls (0-2) got the hard-luck loss despite pitching a good game.

He gave up two runs on eight hits in seven innings of work.

Overall, the Broncos scored two runs on eight hits and committed one error.

The WhiteWings managed six hits and one error.

Laredo looks for similar success tonight against a San Angelo club that has done well against the Broncos all season.

First pitch is slated for 7:35 p.m. at Veterans Field.