From staff reports
July 04, 2009 11:33 pm
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DANVILLE, Va. — Jason Patton’s bases-clearing triple with two outs in the top of the eighth helped the Princeton Rays defeat the Danville Braves 3-1 Saturday night.
The Rays (7-5) won two of the three games in the series and are now in a three-way tie with Danville and Bluefield atop the Appalachian League East Division standings.
The starting pitchers dominated the game but neither figured in the decision. Princeton’s Wilking Rodriguez retired the first 13 batters he faced before allowing a one-out single in the fifth.
Rodriguez was lifted with two out and a runner on first in the sixth. He finished with three strikeouts and no walks while allowing two hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
Danville starter Brett Oberholtzer worked six shutout innings, striking out six and walking two while giving up a pair of hits.
The Rays pounced on Braves reliever Julio Surinach in the eighth.
Cody Rogers singled and stole second, and Ryan Wiegand was intentionally walked. Julio Cedeno then walked to load the bases.
Patton then lined a shot to the fence in right field to put Princeton up 3-0.
Princeton returns home at 4 p.m. today to start a three-game set against West leader Elizabethton.
Princeton reliever Tyler Oakes (1-0) got the win. He struck out two with no walks and did not allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings.
Deivis Maveres got the final three outs for his first save.
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