Game Recap for 06/04/2009 12:05pm PM

FROM: Victoriaseals.ca

Victoria, BC - Closing out a three-game series against the defending Golden Baseball League champion Orange County Flyers, the Victoria Seals took to the field for a noon start at Royal Athletic Park. Orange County sent Jesse Smith (0-2) to the mound, and Victoria responded with Eduardo Baeza (1-1) on Thursday afternoon.After a scoreless first inning, it would be the Flyers who struck first, using a single from Frank LoNigro to take their first lead of the series, 2-0 through the top of the second. The Seals would strike back in the bottom of the frame, however, when a lead-off double from Brian Rios scored on back-to-back wild pitches from Smith.

The Flyers would go back to the bats and extend their lead in the fourth inning, when a lead-off double from Julian Benavidez and a single from Travis Becktel scored on another RBI hit from LoNigro, along with a sacrifice fly from Danny Morrow. Benavidez would strike again in the very next inning, taking a 0-2 pitch from Baeza out of the park for his first home run of the season to put Orange County up 5-1.

Benavidez picked up his second home run of the ball game in the seventh, this time off of Victoria reliever Chris Bodishbaugh to stretch the Flyers' lead to five runs.

Despite loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, Bret LeVier grounded into an inning-ending double play to preserve the 7-1 Orange County advantage. Three straight outs from Flyers' closer Bryan Harris in the bottom of the ninth would end the ball game, and give Orange County their first victory of the season.

Jesse Smith collects the win to improve to 1-2 on the year for the Flyers, while Eduardo Baeza surrenders his second loss of the season to also move to 1-2. Orange County's clean-up hitter Julian Benavidez led the offensive push, finishing 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs in the contest. Travis Becktel and Frank LoNigro also registered three hits in the Orange County win.

Full boxscore: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=1792

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