Sun. 7/9/2017
Games 16, 17
Rangers 7, Expos 4, gm 1
Rangers 10, Expos 4, gm 2
The Rangers swept a pair of games from the Miami Valley Expos, winning 7-4 and 10-4 on Sunday, July 9 at Howell Field.
In game 1, Shawn Schmitt had another quality start, striking out 6 over 6 innings to improve his record to 3-0. Cody Oakes pitched a scoreless 7th for his first career save.
The Expos jumped out early by scoring a run on a sac fly in the first inning. However, the Rangers batted around in the top of the second, scoring four times to take a 4-1 lead. Jonmarc Lippincott had an RBI single and Nick Gilmore had a bases-clearing double.
The Rangers got two more runs in the third on an Eric Becker sac fly and another Lippincott run-scoring single. The Expos rallied with three runs in the bottom half of the third to cut the lead to 6-4. Ben Schooler would add an RBI groundout in the sixth to round out the scoring in game 1.
The Rangers fell behind early as well in game 2 as the Expos took advantage of a fielding miscue to score twice in the second inning. But the Rangers countered again in their half of the inning as Joe Becker drove in a run with a single and Ben Schooler laced a two-run double.
Stephen Hoendorf's single in the third drove home Brandon Marshall to increase the Rangers lead to 4-2. The Rangers added a six-spot in the fourth, capitalized by RBIs from Hoendorf, Eric Becker, and Gilmore.
The Expos would score twice in the sixth, but ultimately stranded 7 runners in the final three frames as the Rangers held on to win 10-4.
Oakes started game 2 and tossed another scoreless inning, before turning the ball over to Andrew Collins. Collins allowed three hits over 4 innings to earn his first MVABL win. Joe Becker went the final two innings, striking out two.
Offensive highlights: Nick Gilmore 4-for-7, 2 runs, 5RBI, double, 2 SB; Ben Schooler 4-for-8, 3RBI, double; Jonmarc Lippincott 2-for-6, 2 runs, 2RBI; Brandon Marshall 2-for-7, 4 runs, 2 SB; Stephen Hoendorf 4-for-6, 2 runs, 2RBI; Eric Becker 2-for-5, 2 runs, 2RBI, SB.
Historical Notes: Shawn Schmitt needs 1.67 innings pitched to reach 900 career innings pitched. Jonmarc Lippincott played in his 600th career game. Nick Gilmore grounded out in his 200th career at-bat.