P-Rays Offense Comes Alive in 11-2 Win

The Princeton Rays dominated the Pulaski Mariners in the series finale by taking an 11-2 victory on Wednesday night at Hunnicutt Field. The Rays offense pushed across 11 runs on 14 hits to lead them to victory.

The Rays scored first in the first inning. Kevin Kiermaier reached on an error then later scored on an RBI double by Bryan Fogle to take a 1-0 lead.

But Pulaski came back to tie the game in the second. Andrew Giobbi singled to right followed by a walk to Ethan Paquette. Back to back sac bunts moved the runners around and Giobbi scored to tie the game 1-1.

It didn't take long for the Rays to regain the lead as they pushed across another run in the bottom of the second. Gerardo Olivares struck a solo home run to left that put the Rays back on top 2-1.

The Mariners nodded thing up again in the top of the third inning. Ramon Morla doubled to center then later scored on an RBI single by Jorge Agudelo to tie the game 2-2.

Princeton then took the lead to stay in the bottom of the third, striking for four runs and never looking back. Todd Glaesmann singled followed by a walk to Scott Lawson to get things going. Fogle doubled to right, scoring Glaesmann and moving Lawson to third. Ruben Contreras drove home a run with a sac fly to center. Olivares followed with an RBI double to score Fogle. Olivares would then score on a ball hit by Leonardo Reginatto and the Rays now held a 6-2 lead.

The Rays pushed across two more in the fifth inning. Contreras was hit by a pitch followed later by a walk to Reginatto to put two runners aboard. They would then capitalize on an error from a Jeff Malm ground ball to score both runners and increase the lead to 8-2.

The P-Rays offense struck one more time in the eighth inning, pushing across three runs. Kiermaier, Lawson and Fogle all singled to load the bases for the Rays. Contreras singled to center to drive home a run and leave the bases loaded. Then Reginatto plated two more runs with a single to right, giving the Rays the 11-2 margin of victory.

Eliazer Suero pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk. Victor Mateo picked up the win, pitching 3 2/3 shut-out innings with 2 strikeouts and a walk. George Jensen pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and allowed just 1 hit while striking out 2.

The Rays (4-5) hit the road to begin a three game series against the Danville Braves (6-3) on Thursday night.