Story By Josh Feldman
The Armada offense gave Jose Lima all the run support he would need while recording a season-high 20 hits in a 13-4 thumping of the Toros at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson on Sunday. Long Beach improves to 18-16 while the Toros fall to 12-19 on the year.
Lima picked up his third win of the season, pitching seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out nine and walking one.
Andy Bouchie proved worthy of his recent all-star selection, blasting a three-run homerun to left field to give the Armada a 9-0 lead with no outs in the third inning. Bouchie also threw out a base runner attempting to steal second.
The entire Armada defense got in on the win, turning a season-high three double-plays during the game. Napoleon Calzado paced the Fleet with four hits, and Casey Garrison and Andy Bouchie each finished the night with three RBI.
The Armada plated three in the first inning to give starting pitcher Jose Lima the advantage. Toros starters Vince Davis hit Omar Bramasco and J.J. Sherrill singled him over to second. Two batters later, Napoleon Calzado singled home Bramasco. Casey Garrison drove in Sherrill, and Daryl Jones singled to cash Calzado for a 3-0 lead.
Josh Womack doubled in the second inning, and Bramasco drove him in with a triple, extending the shortstops hitting streak to 24 straight games.
Tucson starter Vince Davis gave up eight runs on eight hits with one strike out and one walk in two innings pitched. Davis (0-1) took the loss after giving up three hits to start the third inning before being taken out just before Bouchie’s homer.
Brandon Howard blasted his first professional homerun as part of a four-run seventh inning for Long Beach.
The Toros offense came too-little, too-late, as Long Beach led 9-0 before Tucson could get a run across the plate. Lino Garcia went 1-for-3 with two RBI for the Toros.
The Armada sends recently elected All-Star LHP Ben Fox to the mound tomorrow in Tucson as the Armada and Toros play the final game of this three game series at Hi Corbett Field. The game can be heard live through longbeacharmada.com with first pitch at 7:00pm.