Three-run shot lifts Bluefield Orioles past Danville Braves

By: FROM STAFF REPORTS | GoDanRiver
Published: July 25, 2009

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Coming off a dominating three-game sweep at Johnson City, the Braves fell back to earth Friday night with a 9-6 loss at Bluefield in their road trip finale. The rest of the series will conclude tonight at 7 p.m. when the Orioles visit Danville for the second time this season. With the loss, the Braves fell to 21-10, while the O’s improved to 16-15.

Danville shortstop Mycal Jones drilled his third home run of the season in the first inning, but the Braves could not sustain the 1-0 lead for long as Bluefield matched the run with a leadoff triple and an RBI groundout to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

The Orioles took the lead in the second inning on an unearned run following an error by first baseman Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg. The Braves tied the game in the fourth when Spanjer-Furstenburg was hit by a pitch and scored from second on Osman Marval’s double.

Bluefield took the lead for good, though, in the fifth on a three-run blast by Corey Thomas off Danville starter Julio Teheran, who failed to go seven innings for the first time since June 28. The Orioles added another run in the sixth and three more in the seventh to put the game away and make it 9-2.

The Braves put up a furious rally in the ninth, but came up short, gathering only four runs. Jones’ sacrifice fly scored Daniel Elorriaga-Matra, who led off with a double. Then, with the bases loaded and two down, Ryan Hefflinger singled and an error by left fielder Jose Kianes allowed all three runs to score to make it 9-6. But that was all the Braves could score in the inning.

Teheran (1-1) picked up the loss for Danville, going five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Justin Moore (2-2) earned the win, allowing two runs in five innings in his start for the O’s. David Hale, Adam Bullard and Dennis Accomando combined to allow four runs (two earned) in the final three innings out of the Danville bullpen.

The Braves tied a season high by committing five errors in the contest. Offensively, Marval, Hefflinger, and Derek Wiley had two hits apiece, while Jones and Hefflinger added two RBI.

Saturday, the Braves will send left-hander Brett Oberholtzer (1-1, 1.61 ERA) to the mound against Orioles right-hander Jesse Beal (2-3, 3.57 ERA).