Goethals Goes Yard: Walk-off Homer Lifts Legends
June 10, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release
Jim Goethals, 0-for-12 with 10 strikeouts coming into his ninth inning at bat, hit an improbable two-out blast to left-center field to win the game for the Legends on Sunday evening at Applebee's Park. Lexington avoided a sweep with the 2-1 victory, and snapped the Power's winning streak at six games.
West Virginia managed to strike early against starter David Qualben. He walked the first two batters of the game, then balked them into scoring position. He struck out Andrew LeFave for the first out, but Chuck Caufield was able to rap a sacrifice fly to center to bring home a run. That was all the Power would get off Qualben, however. He worked six innings, striking out nine, and even made one of his patented pickoff plays to end the fifth.
In his first start since going to the disabled list with shoulder tendonitis, Zach Braddock delivered early on for the Power. He struck out seven in three innings, even working out of a bases-loaded jam in the third by striking out the side. He gave way to Luis Ramirez, who picked up right where Braddock left off. Ramirez struck out five in four innings of work, however, he allowed the Legends to tie the game in the sixth. Tim Torres led off the inning with a double to deep center. He advanced to third on Chris Johnson's fly ball to the right-field wall, and Max Sapp delivered the game-tying hit by grounding a single through the middle of the drawn-in infield.
That was where the score stayed for the next three innings. Kyle DeYoung (2-5) entered the game in relief of Qualben, striking out three and allowing only one baserunner. In fact, neither team launched much of a threat until Goethals' bases-empty dinger came on a 1-0 Shawn Ferguson fastball. He was mobbed by his teammates as he stepped on home plate with the winning run.
The Legends will now head to Greensboro for the start of a seven-game road trip that will take them into the all-star break. They won't return home until they begin the second half on June 21. Doug Arguello (5-3, 4.06) will take the hill against Hector Correa (0-2, 7.30) tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.
• Discuss this story on the South Atlantic League message board...
South Atlantic League Stories from June 10, 2007
- Kannapolis Drops Third Straight to Greensboro - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Hughes your Crawdaddy Now? Hickory Beats Asheville 7-1 - Hickory Crawdads
- GreenJackets Sweep Sand Gnats - Augusta GreenJackets
- Goethals Goes Yard: Walk-off Homer Lifts Legends - Lexington Legends
- Legends Avoid Power Sweep - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hoppers Manufacture 4-2 Win Over Kannapolis - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Hoppers Manufacture 4-2 Win Over Kannapolis - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Hoppers Manufacture 4-2 Win Over Kannapolis - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Hoppers Manufacture 4-2 Win Over Kannapolis - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Greenville Roughs Up Rome, 15-3 - Rome Emperors
- Win Streak Ends at Nine, 'Birds Fall 10-4 to Lakewood - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suns Defeat Captains in 10, 5-2 - Hagerstown Suns
- Howard Drives in Seven in 10-4 Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
