elrockinMT Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 aturday, June 21, 2003 Sox split with Osprey By CURT BACKA Tribune Sports Writer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feast or famine. Early in the 2003 season the Great Falls White Sox have either had their way with Pioneer League pitching or Pioneer League pitching has its way with the White Sox. Friday night at Legion Park the White Sox tasted both the good and the bad, enjoying a 6-3 victory over the Missoula Osprey in the first game of a doubleheader and falling 4-1 in the nightcap. The split left the White Sox at 2-2, while the Osprey, who picked up their first win of the season, went to 1-3. "It has been that way early this season," White Sox manager Chris Cron. "We have some big innings and then we don't." In the opener, the White Sox backed the splendid pitching of Boone Logan with a five-run fourth inning. In the second game, Osprey pitcher Erick Silva shackled the White Sox offense, pitching a complete-game victory, allowing one run and scattering six hits. Logan, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound, 19-year-old out of Helotes, Texas, relieved starter Thomas Jacquez in the second inning and handcuffed the Osprey with four innings of shutout ball. "He did a great job for us," Cron said. "He had good control and he got a win on his first professional appearance." Logan ran into a a little trouble in the sixth inning, but reliever Matt Payne, a 6-2, 190-pounder out of San Francisco, slammed the door in the sixth and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to pick up the save. Two nights after White Sox pitching gave up 11 walks in a 16-7 loss to the Billings Mustangs, Cron was pleased to see those control problems go away. Only one Osprey reached base via the walk in the opener. "It makes a difference when our pitchers get the ball across the plate," Cron said. In the decisive fifth inning, the White Sox put together four hits, helped by two walks, to bat around in the inning and striking for five big runs. Antoin Gray and Clint King each had key two-run singles in the frame. Gray, Ricardo Nanita and Bo Ivy all enjoyed two hit nights in the opener. In the second game, it was a different story. Silva, a free agent out of Venezuela, turned in a splendid performance. The 6-1 righthander struck out nine, walked only one and got into trouble only once -- in the sixth inning. The White Sox broke through for their lone run when Gray opened the inning with a double and came on a Kelly single. Great Falls could never mount another threat in the contest. Missoula got to White Sox starter Sean Tracey early. Tracey, an eighth-round 2002 draft pick out of Newport Beach, Calif., got into trouble in the first inning. He walked Missoula lead-off hitter Jason McStoots. Emilio Bonifacio then reached on an error. McStoots would score on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gonzalez and then leftfielder Johe Acosta followed with a towering two-run homer to left. The three runs is all Silva would need. The Osprey and the White Sox finish up their three-game set tonight at Legion Park. Game time is 7 p.m. After tonight's game, the White Sox begin their first road trip of the season Monday with games against Ogden, the former Great Falls Dodgers, and then move on to Provo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Fainter Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 Hopefully, we'll see Brian Anderson's name in the box score this week end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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