Report by the Armada’s Josh Feldman

The Armada sailed away from the Scorpions in the fourth inning en route to a 14-3 win at Desert Sun.  The Fleet will return home to Blair Field with an 8-5 mark after starting the first 13 games of the year on the road.

Long Beach led 2-0 before surging farther ahead with nine runs in the fourth inning.  All nine Armada batters reached base before the Scorpions recorded the first out.  Jonny Kaplan knocked his third homerun of the season to lead off the inning.  David Ramirez reached on an error before the Fleet strung together six hits.

Chad Miller’s second homerun of the series and fourth of the year gave Long Beach a 9-0 lead.  Ramirez, in his second plate appearance of the frame, drove in Matt Edgecombe for the team’s ninth run of the inning, making it 11-0.  Long Beach sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning.

The Fleet added a run in the eighth and Daryl Jones drove in two more runs in the ninth.  The 14 runs scored by Long Beach is a season-high.  The Armada defense also looked much sturdier after the team had five errors the previous game. 

Starter Scott Lonergan pitched seven complete innings for his second win of the year.  The former Boston Red Sox AAA pitcher retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced.  Lonergan (2-1) gave up three runs on eight hits, striking out six and walking one. The Scorpions added three runs in the fifth off Lonergan. 

Yuma starter Yesid Salazar (1-1) took the loss, giving up seven runs, five earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk in three-plus innings of work.

Long Beach next plays at Blair Field in the team’s home opener against the Scorpions on Friday, June 12 at 7:05pm.  Jose Lima is scheduled to get the start, and Hideki Irabu will start on Saturday, June 13 at 7:05pm.