BeachBoys Blank Struggling Sharks

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BeachBoys Blank Struggling Sharks

Kyle Galdeira
10/29/08

Waikiki starter Mitsuo Yoshikawa tossed six scoreless innings, struck out a season-high nine
batters, and scattered six hits as the BeachBoys bested Honolulu, 9-0, tonight at Hans L’Orange Park.

With its fifth straight victory aided by the 16-hit barrage, Waikiki improved to 12-11 on the year and, coupled with Honolulu’s fifth consecutive loss, now stands one game behind the Sharks in Hawaii Winter Baseball’s East Division race.

Buster Posey paced Waikiki with four singles and three RBIs, while teammate Yuji Onizaki chipped in three base hits including a double. BeachBoys designated hitter Alfredo Silverio picked up an RBI single in the eighth inning to extend his season-high hitting streak to 10 games.

The BeachBoys got out to a 1-0 lead in the third frame on Posey’s RBI single that scored Johan Limonta.

Waikiki then increased its lead to 5-0, sending nine hitters to the plate in the fourth inning. The red-clad squad plated four more runs thanks in part to Limonta’s two-run single, and Posey’s second RBI single of the contest. Posey, the No. 5 overall selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft by San Francisco, increased his batting average to .515 on the season with the four-hit effort.

Posey collected his third RBI single in the eighth when he brought in Tony Thomas Jr., and Yonder Alonso doubled in Posey to increase the BeachBoys lead to 7-0. Ensuing batter Todd Frazier tripled to right field, scoring Alonso, and providing Waikiki with another insurance run.

Tony Cruz led Honolulu (13-10) at the dish, going 2-3 and improving his batting average to .423. Cruz, a prospect with the St. Louis Cardinals, also notched his eighth double of the campaign in defeat.

Yoshikawa improved to 2-1 on the season, and Steven Richard of the Seattle Mariners added two scoreless innings of relief in support of Waikiki.

Sharks starter Johnny Venters (2-2) took the loss, surrendering five runs on five hits through three innings while striking out two.

The teams return to Hans L’Orange Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. for the finale of a three-game series.