Report by Josh Feldman

The St. George RoadRunners held the Armada scoreless through the final six innings en route to a 4-3 Armada loss at Bruce Hurst Field on Friday night. Long Beach fell to 8-12 in the second half (28-30 overall) in the first game of a three game series against St. George.

All seven runs between both teams were scored in the first three innings before the pitching locked down the rest of the way.

RoadRunners starting pitcher Raymar Diaz lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits while striking out seven batters and walking none to get the win. Diaz (6-2) combined with relievers Alan Webb and Julio Castro to shut out the Armada after the RoadRunners overcame an Armada lead in the third.

The RoadRunners struck first in the bottom of the first when Jose Rodriguez singled to drive in Garry Harris and Yosvany Almario for a 2-0 lead. Long Beach retaliated in the top of the second inning when Steve Moss blasted a solo homerun off the scoreboard in left-center field. Moss – who had three home runs in three games last season at St. George – hit his second homerun in two nights, both to lead off the second inning.

The Armada took the lead in the third. Jonny Kaplan tripled, and Dan Luyben doubled to bring him in. Luyben then scored on an RBI-single from Omar Bramasco to give the Armada a 3-2 lead. St. George returned fire in the bottom of the third, getting sacrifice flies from Rodriguez and Henry Calderon for a 4-3 lead.

Armada starter Kris Honel, the return piece of the Jose Lima trade, gave up four runs off five hits in five innings pitched. Honel (5-5) walked four and struck out three, taking the loss in his second start with Long Beach.

Reliever Sean Buller pitched a scoreless sixth inning, working out of a bases-loaded jam, and Justin Segal pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning.

The Armada and RoadRunners play the second game of this three game series Saturday at Bruce Hurst Field as Long Beach sends RHP Scott Lonergan (4-4) to the mound against RHP Evan Van Slyke (5-6) for St. George. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm Mountain Time and the game can be heard live at www.longbeacharmada.com