By Kevin Wyart
Humboldt Crabs Baseball
July 3, 2016
ARCATA—The Crabs were able to keep Top Speed baseball off the scoreboard for eight out of nine innings on Sunday, but allowed 10 Top Speed runners to cross the plate in the fourth inning and fell to them 10-2 at the Arcata Ball Park.
The Crabs (12-10) scored their two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a Ryan Reynolds two-run home run. Otherwise, it was the top of the fourth inning that decided the ballgame.
In all, 15 men came to the plate for Top Speed (24-2) in that fourth inning. Top Speed scored 10 runs on six hits, drew four walks and had two batters hit by pitches. Grant St. Martin led off the inning with a double, followed by a walk to Matt Martinez. After a Rob Berning strikeout, Cody Erickson singled to load the bases.
St. Martin scored the first run on a bases loaded walk to Jack Dennis. Cesar Rodriguez promptly continued the rally with an RBI single, then Ryan Schalch hit a two- RBI single to make it 4-0. Nick Rao was then hit by a pitch to reload the bases and Matt Minnick was able to draw another walk to bring in the fifth run.
St. Martin contributed two more RBIs on a single and the game was then 7-0. Matt Martinez then walked to once again reload the bases, then Berning was hit by a pitch to make the score 8-0. The final blow of the inning came on a 2 RBI single by Cody Erickson and it became a 10-0 contest.
The rest of the game combined, Top Speed went scoreless while only managing three base hits and four walks. That fourth inning chased Crabs starter Ryan Sullivan out of the game. He finished the game having allowed 8 earned runs on four hits, while walking five and striking out six.
Jacob Gomez followed and surrendered two runs on two hits plus a walk without recording a single out. Ryan Smith, Riley Sweeney, and Kevin Calderhead would combine for 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Top Speed starter Diego Ibarra kept the Crabs at bay much of the afternoon before he ran out of gas and allowed the home run to Reynolds in the 7th. He went 6 1/3 innings, giving up only those two runs on four hits, with three walks and six strikeouts. Jake Pannunzio threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing on hit and two walks while striking out four.
The Crabs will continue their stretch of nine game in ten days on Monday as they welcome the Solano Mudcats to town. The game will have a special holiday start time of 2:30pm.
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