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www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005081832/

 

BlueClaws cash in on Moni's diving catch

Christopher Wade

For the Charleston Daily Mail

 

Lakewood left fielder Timi Moni certainly has the last name to make a gamble.

 

Moni (pronounced "money") had no qualms about gambling, and it paid huge dividends to the BlueClaws as Lakewood escaped Appalachian Power Park with a 7-6 victory over the West Virginia Power Wednesday evening.

 

The 2,519 in attendance -- and the Power players themselves -- were left stunned as Moni ended the game in the 10th inning with a miraculous diving catch along the left-field line.

 

With the tying run in scoring position and two outs, Power designated hitter Carlos Corporan hit a line drive shot, but Moni made a fully-extended catch to seal the victory for Lakewood (26-24).

 

"I knew I had to get there," Moni said. "I saw it come off the bat and I got a good jump and I took a huge gamble. It was hit so hard but fortunately it paid off. I was pretty excited."

 

It was the second great diving catch by Moni in the game.

 

In the fourth inning with runners on first and second for the Power and no out, Charlie Fermaint hit a fly ball to left but Moni raced in and dove forward to record the out.

 

Lakewood Manager P.J. Forbes was thrilled at the game-saving catch.

 

The BlueClaws already had given up a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth when the Power sent the game to extra innings.

 

"That was one of the greatest catches I have seen by anybody all year long," Forbes said.

 

"He was fully extended, laid out, and saved the game. Those are the kinds of plays that win ballgames."

 

Power Manager Ramon Aviles was just as impressed with Moni's diving catch but was less than thrilled with the way Lakewood scored the eventual winning run in the top of the 10th inning.

 

With Robert Hinton on the mound for the Power, BlueClaw leadoff hitter Brad Harmon faced a 1-2 count and Hinton appeared to strike out the Lakewood shortstop on a breaking ball.

 

However, home plate umpire Clint Lawson didn't agree and called the pitch a ball.

 

Power catcher Angel Salome jumped up and down, complaining about the call.

 

Harman eventually doubled down the left-field line, was sacrificed to third by Mike Dzurilla and scored on a wild pitch with one out.

 

"This is not a good way to lose a game when the winning run scores after he was struck out," Aviles said.

 

"The umpire didn't call it, though, and it's a shame his decision could affect the outcome of a game like that."

 

The fans in attendance were hoping for another comeback victory. The Power has won five games at home on walk-off home runs.

 

Down by one in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and Fermaint on second, Ryan Braun hit a shot to center field, the deepest part of the field, that just eluded center fielder Greg Colson at the wall to tie the game.

 

"Ryan keeps driving in run after run and is clutch," Aviles said of Braun, who has hit two walk-off homers in Power wins. "He comes through time and time again."

 

Hinton (3-4) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Power, which falls to 25-26.

 

Braun, Salome and Corporan led the offense with two hits each and Will Lewis drove in a pair of runs as well.

 

* * *

The Power made a roster move on Wednesday, sending right-handed pitcher Eric Thomas to High A Brevard County and right-handed pitcher Dane Renkert was added from Helena to take his place.

 

Thomas, a third round pick in 2002, went 0-1 with a save and a 3.44 ERA with the Power.

 

Renkert was picked in the 29th round of the 2005 draft from Washington State University. He went 2-1 with a save and a 2.81 ERA over 14 games with Helena.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 4, Arizona Angels 3

No linescore or game log, otherwise box score is intact...

 

Arizona Box Score:

RHP Roque Mercedes strikes out seven in five innings in an otherwise "just OK" start; RHP Julio Guzman won't be 18 years old until December; CF Michael Brantley now 11-for-15 in SB attempts; infielder Jose Jimenez on base three times, although his torrid pace from early on had cooled significantly in recent weeks...

 

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