D-Braves defeat Burlington in season opener

By Jason Wolf

Published: June 18, 2008

BURLINGTON, N.C. — It didn’t take long for the newest crop of Danville Braves to get going. L.V. Ware, in his first professional at-bat, belted a triple to left-center field and later scored Danville’s first run of the season in the top of the first inning.

Ware also scored on a two-run homer by Gerardo Rodriguez in the sixth and added a bit of insurance with a sacrifice fly to right in the seventh as the four-time defending East Division champ D-Braves outlasted the host Burlington Royals 5-3 in the Appalachian League season-opener for both teams Tuesday night.

It was a night for firsts, to be sure. Eleven D-Braves are entering their first year of professional ball, and the entire coaching staff, with the exception of fourth-year manager Paul Runge, are brand new to their respective positions.

“Right out of the chute we had to open on the road, so overall I’m pleased. I thought we played a pretty solid game,” Runge said. “We made our hits and our at-bats count tonight.”

Randall Delgado, in his first professional start, allowed singles to Burlington’s first three batters and a run, but escaped the inning with consecutive strikeouts as he settled down.

Danville (1-0) never trailed, despite allowing Burlington to tie it at 1-1 in the bottom of the first and at 2-2 in the third.

Rodriguez, who finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, drilled a two-run homer to right field in the sixth. The shot just cleared the wall and found an opening between a billboard advertisement and the scoreboard for a 4-2 lead the D-Braves made last.

A couple of Burlington errors in the seventh allowed David Berres to take first and advance to third before Ware’s sacrifice fly to right provided a 5-2 lead. The Royals (0-1) cut their deficit to 5-3 when Salvador Perez tripled in Fernando Cruz from first base with no outs in the bottom of the frame, but Burlington stranded their runner at third and went down in order in the eighth and ninth.

First-year righty Junior Rojas came on in relief of Delgado in the fourth and earned the win.

“There were a few errors in the game, but I guess that’s to be expected,” Runge said. “Everybody had a little opening day jitters, I think.”

Several defensive plays proved crucial to the D-Braves’ success. Burlington’s Allen Caldwell flied out to Ware in the seventh, and the D-Braves left fielder fired to first base to complete the unusual double play and end the inning. In the ninth, Burlington’s Fernando Cruz lined a ball off D-Braves righty Cody Railsback’s backside, but third baseman Jon Gilmore was able to scoop the ball up and get the out at first.

All in all, it was the season opener the D-Braves were looking for after their second consecutive trip to the Appalachian League championship series last year.

“We’ve got some good young kids here that are willing to learn,” longtime clubhouse manager Bill Setliff said during Monday’s Meet the D-Braves Night. “Hopefully they’ll put it together.”

NEWS & NOTES
After entering in relief with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, it took Danville RHP Junior Rojas only two pitches to record two outs. Salvador Perez lined out to first and Lifete Jose flied out to left. … Geraldo Rodriguez’s two-run homer to right field in the sixth inning just found a clearing between an advertisement, the wall and the scoreboard. … Burlington’s Allen Caldwell flied out to Danville left fielder L.V. Ware, who threw to first baseman Rodriguez to complete an unusual double play in the bottom of the eighth inning. … Danville’s Joel Campusano was caught in a 2-6-3-4 rundown while trying to steal second in the top of the ninth. … Danville RHP Cody Railsback took a line drive off his backside in the bottom of the ninth inning. Third baseman Jon Gilmore was able to scoop up the ball to complete the out at first. … Because of high winds, only one parachutist landed in the outfield prior to Burlington’s home opener. Four or five more were scheduled to land, but never jumped.

HOW THEY SCORED
TOP OF THE FIRST: Kelvin Herrera pitching. David Berres grounds out to shortstop. Shayne Moody strikes out. L.V. Ware triples to left-centerfield. Gerardo Rodriguez singles to left, scoring Ware. Jon Gilmore strikes out. Danville 1, Burlington 0
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST: Randall Delgado pitching. Hilton Richardson singles on a line drive to center field. Richardson is caught stealing. Angel Franco reaches on an infield single to third and steals second. Diego Cruz singles to right, scoring Franco. Cruz takes second on the throw home and advances to third on a wild pitch. Julio Aparicio strikes out. Allen Caldwell strikes out. Danville 1, Burlington 1
TOP OF THE SECOND: Stephen Shults strikes out. Chris Shehan walks and takes second on a wild pitch. Jesus Sucre grounds out to third. Joel Campusano reaches on an infield hit to second, scoring Shehan, and advances to third on a fielding error at first base. Berres flies out to left. Danville 2, Burlington 1
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD: Richardson reaches on an error by the third baseman. Franco reaches safely on a bunt. Diego Cruz singles to shallow center, loading the bases. Aparicio sacrifice fly to center, scoring Richardson. Wild pitch advances Franco to third and Cruz to second. Caldwell strikes out. Morales grounds out to second. Danville 2, Burlington 2
TOP OF THE SIXTH: Roque Colon pitching. Ware walks. Rodriguez smacks two-run homer to right, just clearing the wall. Gilmore walks, advances to second on a wild pitch. Shults strikes out. Shehan strikes out. Sucre strikes out. Danville 4, Burlington 2
TOP OF THE SEVENTH: Campusano flies out to center. Berres reaches on a fielding error on the second baseman. Moody reaches and advances to second on a fielding error on the shortstop. Berres advances to third on the play. Ware sacrifice fly to right, scoring Berres and advancing Moody to third. Rodriguez flies out to center. Danville 5, Burlington 2
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH: Junior Rojas pitching. Fernando Cruz singles to left. Perez triples to right-centerfield, scoring Cruz. Jose fouls out to the shortstop. Richardson strikes out. Franco grounds out to short. Danville 5, Burlington 3