07/23/2007

Beach Bums win a wild one

Garza's 3-run homer in 8th tops Rockford, 12-9

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY — Aaron Garza's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning put Traverse City ahead for good as the Beach Bums edged Rockford 12-9 in a rollercoaster Frontier League baseball game at Wuerfel Park on Sunday night.

The homer was Garza's second of the year and was the second of the game for Traverse City, which received a two-run shot from Sam Orr in the fourth.

The Beach Bums scored in each of the last five innings, and rallied from deficits of 3-0, 4-3, 7-5 and 9-8.

Nine different players had hits for the Bums (23-33), who split their four-game series with the RiverHawks and went 8-5 on their longest homestand of the season. Leading the way with two apiece were Steve Young, Brad Vericker and Brad Roblin.

Zack Kalter, Traverse City's regular right fielder, came in to pitch in the eighth and tossed two scoreless innings for the win, his first of the season.

Four pitchers preceded Kalter for the Bums — Tony Casoli, who tossed five innings; and Nick Pepper, Jeff Williams and Bryan Rembisz, who each worked 2/3 of an inning.

The game, which last 3 hours and 28 minutes, was played in front of 4,771 fans.

Traverse City has a day off today before beginning a three-game series at Evansville on Tuesday. That series will be followed by another three-game set at Southern Illinois.

The Bums return home for six games against the same two team beginning Monday, July 30.