News
Sharks Complete Sweep of BeachBoys
Kyle Galdeira
09/28/08
Honolulu took advantage of 11
walks issued by Waikiki pitchers, and claimed
a 7-2 victory this afternoon at Les Murakami Stadium.
With the win, the Sharks improved to 2-0 and secured the
two-game sweep over the BeachBoys (0-2) to cap the opening weekend of Hawaii
Winter Baseball’s eighth season. Lars Davis led Honolulu with two hits and two
RBIs while Kala Ka’aihue, an Atlanta Braves prospect who grew up in Kailua,
Hawaii, hit an opposite-field, two-run home run over the right field fence to
put the Sharks up 2-0 in the top of the first.
Waikiki got on the board in
the home half of the fourth inning when Cincinnati Reds prospect Todd Frazier
roped a line drive to the wall in left-center field to score James McOwen from
second. Ensuing batter Roger Kieschnick hit a sharp grounder to the right side
that would have tied the game, but Honolulu
second baseman Bradley Emaus made a sliding grab and threw over to first in
time to end the threat.
Honolulu
designated hitter Michael Taylor led off the sixth inning with a line-drive
home run to right field, and pushed the Sharks ahead, 3-1. After Waikiki turned a double play, Shintaro Masuda walked and
advanced to second on a missed-catch error by Frazier at first base. Lars Davis
took advantage and laced a double to right-center field to plate Masuda, and
put Honolulu up
4-1.
The BeachBoys pushed across a run on a two-out single up the
middle from Kieschnick to score McOwen and cut the deficit to 4-2.
But Honolulu
got the run right back in the seventh inning despite not posting a hit. Darin
Holcomb reached on a fielders choice and advanced to third on a wild pitch and
passed ball. BeachBoys pitcher Phillippe-Alexandre Valiquette uncorked another
wild pitch, allowing Holcomb to trot home and extend Honolulu’s lead to 5-2.
Davis
added his second hit of the game in the eighth inning on a RBI single to right.
A Michael Mitchell sacrifice fly gave Honolulu
the 7-2 lead after eight frames—an advantage the Sharks would not relinquish.
Frazier paced Waikiki with
two hits on the afternoon.
Honolulu
starter Satoshi Nagai (1-0) earned the victory, allowing one run on two hits
through four innings, and striking out four in the process.
Waikiki’s Jeremy Bleich
(0-1) took the loss after surrendering two runs on two hits, and giving up four
walks.
Both teams have tomorrow off, and return to action on
Tuesday.
