BeachBoys Dig The Long Ball

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BeachBoys Dig The Long Ball

Kyle Galdeira
11/04/08

Waikiki collected 13 hits including three solo home runs en route to an 8-6 victory over North Shore tonight at Hans L’Orange Park. With the win, the BeachBoys improve to 13-1 when scoring first this season, and 13-0 when leading after seven innings.

Tony Thomas Jr. led Waikiki with three hits including a solo home run, while teammates James McOwen and Roger Kieschnick each added solo home runs. Buster Posey picked up an RBI single, and extended his league-high hit streak to 12 games while improving his league-best batting average to .451.

Waikiki (16-12) got out to a 1-0 lead in the first as Alfredo Silverio singled in Yonder Alonso with two out.

McOwen, of the Seattle Mariners, put the BeachBoys up 2-0 in the home half of the second with a solo home run that sailed well over the right field fence. Ensuing batter Thomas Jr. cranked the Yasutaka Hattori offering over the fence in left for his second home run of the season, and the solo blast provided a three-run cushion.

Kieschnick hit his fourth home run of the season on a solo shot in the third inning that cleared the bullpen well beyond the right field fence. The BeachBoys went on to add three more runs in the frame, thanks in part to RBI doubles from Damon Sublett and Austin Romine, and posted a 7-0 advantage after three innings.

North Shore (12-16) rallied with five runs in the fifth inning thanks in part to a two-run double off the bat of Kyle Martin, and RBI singles from Jason Castro and Yamaico Navarro.

Castro paced the Honu hitters with three base knocks on the evening, and improved his batting average to .348.

Waikiki starter Mitsuo Yoshikawa (3-1) earned the win despite allowing five runs on eight hits through four innings. Jeremy Papelbon closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning, and notched his fifth save of the season.

Hattori fell to 3-2 on the season after allowing seven runs on eight hits through 2 1/3 innings.

The squads return to Hans L’Orange Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. for the finale of a two-game set.