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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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Leadoff leads Lunkers to win NORTHWOODS LEAGUE By BRYCE CLOUTIER Sports Writer Earlier in the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers' season starting shortstop Stephen Wickens used his speed to steal home and win a Brainerd resident $20,000 toward a new car.
Wickens' speed was again on display Tuesday night, swiping four bases, including another of home, on his way to leading the Lunkers to a 6-1 victory over Rochester at Mills Field.
Throughout the game Honkers pitchers could not find a way to get the speedy leadoff hitter out as Wickens proved to be the offensive catalyst, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances, including four singles and a walk, to go along with three runs scored and the four stolen bases.
"I just tried to help out the team the best I could," Wickens said. "Any way to do that and then if I got on base I tried being a gnat out there. Leading off you are trying to find any way to get into scoring position for the guys hitting behind me. They have all the power and are the ones who are going to be getting the RBIs.
"It was just a good night. I was seeing the ball really well. It looked like a beach ball out there, and I just focused on putting the bat on the ball and getting on base."
Brainerd got on the board right off the bat with Wickens leading off the game with a single, then scoring off of a steal and a pair of errors.
The offense continued in the second inning as the Lunkers strung together five singles to plate three more runs. Wickens again led the way with a single that scored Will Piwnica-Worms in addition to another run and stolen base.
"It is very important to get that leadoff guy on," Lunkers manager Ryan Levendoski said of Wickens' game. "When we were on our hot streak winning games (Wickens) was leading off for us and getting on base consistently and that makes a big difference.
"He is a guy who always finds a way to get on base, whether it's getting hit by a pitch, a walk, or putting the ball in play."
Brainerd added a pair of runs in the sixth to cap off the scoring, highlighted by Wickens' steal of home on a double steal with two out that saw Mike Martinez take second as Wickens scampered across the plate on the throw.
Martinez finished with a pair of RBIs while Piwnica-Worms ended 3-for-3 with two runs scored as all 13 of the Lunkers' hits were singles.
"Everything we did seemed to work for us," Levendoski said. "We tried to run the bases a little bit and we had some hit and runs executed, a couple double steals, and really got ourselves going by running the bases. We were really aggressive in some hitters' counts and consistently put the ball in play throughout the night."
Lost among dizzying base running was the pitching performance of Dennis O'Grady, who tossed eight innings while allowing just four hits and one run. He fanned six Honkers to pick up his third win.
Lunkers 6, Rochester 1
The key: Stephen Wickens reached base in all five plate appearances, scoring three runs and stealing four bases
Attendance: 399
Records: Brd 15-16, Roch 17-13
Next: Brainerd at Mankato 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
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Coming into the game O'Grady held the Northwoods League lead in ERA with a microscopic 0.29 and was riding a 17-inning scoreless streak that was snapped in the sixth as Rochester strung together a pair of two-out hits to score its lone run.
"He commands that strike zone," Levendoski said. "He is always getting ahead of hitters and getting a one-strike lead, and when he does get behind he is not afraid to put the ball in the strike zone and let guys put the ball into play. He is always looking to attack the hitter and put up strikes. He is not one of those 92-93 mph guys that overpowers you. He is right around 86-87 (mph) and just goes after hitters and gets it done."
Rochester 000 001 000 - 1 5 2
Brainerd 130 002 00X - 6 13 0
Rochester: Riley Bevill, Scott McGough (5), Will Arnold (6), Danny Brock (7) and Mitch Karraker.
Brainerd: Dennis O'Grady, Drew Smith (9) and Hunter Nolen.
WP: O'Grady (3-0). LP: Bevill (0-1).
2B: R-Corey Jones
SB: Stephen Wickens 4, T.J. Berge, Mike Martinez
S: Brd-Shon Roe 2
SF: Brd-Michael Kvasnicka
RBIs: Brd-Martinez 2, Wickens, Kvasnicka
DP: Brd 2, Roch 2
LOB: Brd 8, Roch 4
T: 2:01
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