Tuesday, July 22, 1997

Aces win over faltering Prairie Dogs, 8-4

ALEXANDRIA, La. - Roberto De Leon belted a three-run home run in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie, propelling the Alexandria Aces to an 8-4 win over the reeling Abilene Prairie Dogs Monday night.

Mike Jones, 4-3, pitched a complete game for the win which allowed the Aces to sweep the four-game series.

The Prairie Dogs outhit Alexandria 11-9, but Aces made theirs count. The Aces homered three times off Abilene pitching which also issued a costly 12 walks.

Abilene took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Jason McClure doubled and Manny Gagliano hit a two-run home run. The Aces got one of those runs back in the bottom of the first on an RBI-single by Kyle Shade.

The Prairie Dogs went ahead 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning on a double by Jay Andrews, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI groundout by Jerod Hyde.

However, the Aces tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Will Delafield hit a solo home run and the second run of the inning came in on a bases-loaded walk.

After De Leon's three-run shot in the fifth, Darrin White added a solo home run in the sixth inning for the Aces.

Hyde led off the ninth inning with a home run to pull Abilene within 8-4, but Jones retired Jason Keith, Daryl Monroe and Jeff Motes in order to preserve the victory.

The Prairie Dogs begin a three-game homestand at 7:05 p.m. today against Lubbock. Mark Hampton is today's scheduled starter with Royal Thomas and Louis Maberry slated to start the final two games of the series.

Newly acquired Prairie Dog pitcher Hank Lott lasted only 32/3 innings.