Legends avoid sweep by Power
There is a new change of pace for the Menlo Park Legends as they get deeper into the summer season.
Traveling down to Southern California, the Legends avoided the Palm Springs Power from sweeping them by taking the final game of the series, June 26 to 28.
Still known for coming back in later innings to win games, the team has extended its approach to this storyline by making comebacks in a series. After each game, the Legends were able to adjust their hitting to eventually win game three and go 1-2 in the series.
Game one was a shot to the ego after the Legends lost 10-2; the biggest defeat that the team has experienced this year. It was a low scoring game with both teams pushing across runs sparingly for seven innings. John Montgomery scored the first run off a single by Kyle Zirbes in the third, followed by Robert Henry scoring another run in the sixth off a sac fly out by Braden Frankfort.
The bats came alive in the eighth for the Power, giving the Legends little hope for a comeback. After the Power capped the inning with seven runs, the Legends tried to fight back in the ninth with four pinch hitters, only to end the game with a long fly ball by Henry.
Despite losing 10-9 the next day, Legends improved their offensive performance to make the Power nervous.
The Legends opened the game with an offensive burst by scoring five runs. Offensive star, Tommy Bell started the hitting spree with a two RBI double to bring in Tobias Moreno and Cody Strong. Bell would score five runs for the Legends in game two.
“I was just thinking to square a ball up and hit something hard in the air to the outfield, got a pitch up and away and lined it over the right fielders head,” Bell said.
After their coach was ejected in the first inning over a check swing, the Power managed to rally back in the second to tack on fours runs. By the end of the seventh, the Power scored four more runs from passed balls and errors made by the Legends.
Trying to make a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, Bell would hit a two RBI single to bring in Cody Strong and Robert Henry. Strong gave a solid offensive performance, scoring 3 runs for the Legends. The team was unable to tie the score, losing the game by one run.
Thinking that they would sweep the three-game series, the Power were devastated in a 9-2 Legends win. The Power struggled on offense, leaving thirteen runners stranded on base.
With timely hits throughout the game, the Legends were tacking one to two runs on the scoreboard in almost every inning. Cody Strong’s two RBI single in the eighth gave the Power little chance for comeback; the Legends were guaranteed a solid victory.
“It was with 2 strikes and the pitcher threw me a change up and I stayed back just long enough to make decent contact”
Right-hander Nick Gagnon threw four strong innings, keeping batters back on their heels mixing up his pitches all afternoon. Besides giving up one run with one strike out while on the mound.
“On days like that you just have to grind it out and compete with what you have to give the team a chance to win,” Gagnon said.
Fans in Palm Springs were left shocked by how the Power were unable to sweep the series, let alone break their week long winning streak.
Travel continues as the Legends head to Conejo Oaks then on to San Luis Obispo to face the Blues in a three-game weekend series, June 3 to 5.
