Game Recap for 06/02/2010 12:35 PM

GINTER'S GRAND SLAM SLAYS SNAKES
Durkin goe seven strong innings for OC

by Lance Cartelli

CALGARY, Alberta (June 2, 2010) -- Former Major Leaguer Keith Ginter’s grand slam in the fifth inning helped the Orange County Flyers defeat the Calgary Vipers, 6-2, on Wednesday afternoon.  The Flyers are now 3 games over .500, extending their record to 6-3, while the Vipers fall to 6-4 after the loss.

After three scoreless innings, Orange County lit up the scoreboard first, in the bottom of the third.  Jimmy Rohan’s sacrifice fly after the starting pitcher Matt Durkin hit a single, gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead.  Ben Johnson would later get his 14th RBI of the season with a single to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead after three innings.

The Vipers starting pitcher Anastacio Martinez loaded the bases

In the top of the 5th, the Vipers brought in Berek Fasking in relief of starter Anastacio Martinez with runners on first and second.  Fasking walked Ben Johnson before Ginter, a Fullerton High School alum, hit a big fly to deep left field to give the Flyers an insurmountable lead, 6-0, thanks to the first Flyers slam of the season. 

Calgary would get two runs back in the bottom of the fifth, due to Luis Taveras RBI groundout and Guillermo Reyes, infield hit for an RBI to make their deficit 6-2.

Matt Durkin, the 2009 Pitcher of the Year in the Golden Baseball League, found his stride from last year, pitching 7 strong innings, giving up only 2 runs on 5 hits and striking out 3.  He got his first decision of the year, now 1-0 on the season.  Anastacio Martinez, the starting pitcher for the Vipers, went 4.1 innings, but gave up 4 runs on 4 hits, picking up his second loss of the season. 

The Flyers continue this five-game series against the Vipers on Thursday, June 3, at 6:05pm Pacific at Foothills Stadium in Calgary.  Flyers RHP Jesse Smith will face RHP Dusty Gober for Calgary.