The Amarillo (5-4) trailed by seven in the fourth, but Alberto Espinosa was able to capture the lead back with a single in the fifth, spurring the Amarillo to an 18-16 win over the Laredo (4-6) at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stad on Saturday.
With the score tied at 14, Espinosa came to the plate and singled, scoring Tim Alberts.
Espinosa paced the Amarillo at the plate. Espinosa went 2-5, drove in one and scored one run. He doubled in the third inning and singled in the fifth inning.
The two teams combined for 34 runs and 39 hits, including zero extra base hits. There were 10 pitchers used in the game as the two managers searched for any way to finish it off.
The Amarillo staved off the Laredo as the Laredo were unable to match the Amarillo down the stretch.
The Laredo scored on a solo home run by Stephen Pearson in the sixth inning and an RBI single by Kevin Butler in the eighth inning. Despite their efforts, the Laredo couldn't finish the comeback.
Garrett Rau racked up four RBIs on three hits for the Amarillo . He doubled in the third inning, tripled in the fourth inning, and singled in the fifth inning.
Chad Povich got the win, running his season record to 2-0. He allowed one run over three innings. Povich struck out five, walked one and gave up two hits.
Chris Chavez was charged with his second loss of the year. He lasted just two-thirds of an inning, walked none, struck out none, and allowed four runs.
The Amarillo pounded the Laredo pitching, as seven hitters combined for 18 hits, 15 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
The top of the first saw the Laredo take an early lead, 9-0. Jimmy Mojica kicked things off for the Laredo with a single. John Allen tripled, plating Mojica and Yunesky Sanchez. More runs came home for the Laredo when Allen scored on a fielder's choice, Pearson scored on a two-run home run by Ernie Banks Jr., Vincent scored on a two-run home run by Brian Peterson, and Scelfo scored on a two-run home run by Mojica.
The Amarillo got two-run rallies in the first inning and the second. In the first, the Amarillo scored on a sacrifice fly by Alberts, plating Harrison Kain.
The Laredo got one-run boosts in each of the third, sixth and eighth. In the third, the Laredo scored, scoring Butler.
The Amarillo quickly matched the Laredo's strong inning with a three-run inning of their own in the third. The Amarillo scored on an RBI single by Adam Buschini, an RBI double by Rau, and a sacrifice fly by Mitch Abeita.
The Amarillo answered the Laredo's top inning with seven runs of their own in the fourth. The Amarillo scored on a solo home run by Jake Opitz, a two-run triple by Rau, a two-run home run by Abeita, and a two-run home run by Matthew Tucker.
The Amarillo went up for good in the fifth, scoring four runs on three singles.