Triggers are in Heaven as they earn spot in playoffs
TRINIDAD— The Trinidad Triggers dismantled the Douglas Diablos in their first game of the series by a score of 13-7 last Thursday. By the end of the series, the Triggers shot the Devils back to where they came from in typical Trigger fashion. On Thursday, the Triggers blew open the game in the fourth inning after scoring seven runs. The big inning began when newcomer to the team, Shane Casey, drove in Zach Ashman with a single. Bladel, who was walked in his second at bat, was advanced to third, then stole home. Blake May then hit a RBI single, driving in Casey. Jake Summers also had a RBI single. To cap off the fourth, K.C. Judge had a home run which scored two. Alex Mann picked up the win for the Trinidad Triggers. Mann allowed three earned runs, four hits and five walks while striking out four, over seven innings of work. The Triggers had seventeen hits in the game and the Diablos gave up four errors, which resulted in two runs. In the second same of the three game series, the Triggers defeated the Diablos 14-12 in a game that really wasn’t as close as the score indicated. The Diablos scored six runs in the last three innings, with three coming in top of the 9th, but there was never any real concern in the Triggers’ dugout about losing the game, according to JD Droddy. Even without Bladel in the lineup, the others picked up the slack with 11 hits in the game. Trinidad also played an almost error free game with only one, compared to the Diablos five errors. Casey has appeared in three games and has eight hits in thirteen at bats (.615). Summers had an off night going one for four. He is still in second place in hitting at .417 behind division rival, Craig Massey of the Santa Fe Fuego. In the final game of the series, it was Judge who was the star of the show, as he hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Triggers the 4-3 victory. Trinidad came into the bottom of the 9th inning tied 3-3 with the Douglas Diablos. With one out in the inning, Adam Barry, who pinch hit for pitcher Kolt Browder, was hit by a pitch. Michael Morris got a single which advanced Barry to second. Casey was walked, which brought Judge to the plate with bases loaded. Only needing one hit, Judge connected with a single in the gap between right-center which scored Barry. Judge went 1 for 4 on the night. The Trigger victory was the first Trigger sweep of the year. Other stats for the game included Kolt Browder, who relieved starter Alex Bos and, picked up his second win of the season with a great performance. “This is his best outing of the year,” said Manager JD Droddy, “He was nearly unhittable tonight.” Offensively, Summers went 3 for 4, including a triple and 2 RBI’s. Morris hit 2 for 5. Casey hit 1 for 4 including a walk. Casey also scored a run. Jamie McMillan went 2 for 4, with an RBI and a stolen base. Max Garza hit 2 for 4. With the sweep, the Triggers guaranteed their playoff spot and will play Santa Fe for the Northern division title beginning July 24th. (see related story)
