July 18, 200322 yr Sox outlast Mustangs; Nanita continues streak By Tribune Staff -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BILLINGS -- Charlie Lisk drove in three runs and Ricardo Nanita tied the Pioneer League record by hitting safely in his 27th straight game as the Great Falls White Sox defeated the Billings Mustangs 4-3 here Thursday night. Nanita singled to spark a three-run rally in the eighth inning, tying the league hit-streak record set in 1990 by K.C. Gillum of Billings, as the White Sox snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 18-10 on the season. The victory also moved Great Falls into a half-game lead over the Helena Brewers in the Pioneer League's Northern Division. The Brewers dropped both ends of a doubleheader Thursday to Missoula. Nanita will attempt to establish a new league hitting-streak record this afternoon at 3 (KMON-AM) as the White Sox take on the Osprey in Missoula. Lisk gave the Sox an early lead with a solo home run in the top of the second on Thursday. Lisk fouled off several offerings from Billings starter Derek Hawk before lifting a towering drive to left, giving Great Falls its first lead in the three-game series. The White Sox, outscored 24-5 in the first two games of the series, didn't score again until the eighth. By that time, Billings managed to tie the game as Ben Himes rapped a two-out RBI single in the sixth. Nanita went 1-for-4 -- he also had one hit the previous two games in the series -- and for a long time it appeared as if his hitting streak might end. Nanita flied out to center in the first, grounded to first in the third and lined to first in the sixth. In the eighth, he came to the plate with two out following a walk to Antoin Gray. The southpaw-swinging Nanita took a ball, then singled in the hole between third and short off Billings reliever Jeff Groeger. Carlos Lee followed with a line single to left on a 2-2 pitch and Gray scored to break the tie. After an intentional walk to Brandon Bounds, Lisk doubled home a pair of runs to give the White Sox a three-run cushion. In the bottom of the eighth, the Mustangs loaded the bases with nobody out against Sox reliever Fraser Dizard on a pair of singles and a walk. Billings scored one run on a 4-6-3 double-play ball, then Dizard induced Mustangs' slugger Walter Olmstead to ground out to third. The Mustangs also rallied in the ninth, thanks to some shaky defense by the White Sox. With two out and one on, Juan Acevedo's soft liner down the left-field line appeared catchable but fell for a hit that made the score 4-3. Acevedo advanced to second, then went to third when Luis Bolivar struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Up stepped Billings slugger Habelito Fernandez, who entered the game hitting .370 and had three hits his first three at-bats on Thursday. Great Falls reliever Fernando Hernandez Jr. got ahead 0-and-2, then induced his namesake (no relation) to ground out to shorstop, ending the game. Sean Tracey (4-2) gained the victory for the White Sox. Groeger took the loss for the Mustangs, who lost for only the third time in their last 14 games. Billings dropped to 17-11 on the season, a game behind the Brewers and White Sox.
July 18, 200322 yr These guys can really hit... Nanita, Anderson, Gray, Bounds... But did anyone notice that Carlos Lee has quietly taken over the team lead in batting average?
July 18, 200322 yr These guys can really hit... Nanita, Anderson, Gray, Bounds... But did anyone notice that Carlos Lee has quietly taken over the team lead in batting average? He has?
July 18, 200322 yr These guys can really hit... Nanita, Anderson, Gray, Bounds... But did anyone notice that Carlos Lee has quietly taken over the team lead in batting average? He has? He's up to .378
July 18, 200322 yr But did anyone notice that Carlos Lee has quietly taken over the team lead in batting average? Actually, Anderson still has the lead at .388. But, even if Lee did have the lead, he's only played in 10 of the 28 games so does that still really count?
July 18, 200322 yr I love it how Carlos Lee also shows the same plate discipline as his brother; none. Also, where is Anderson, he hasn't played for a while.
July 18, 200322 yr I love it how Carlos Lee also shows the same plate discipline as his brother; none. Also, where is Anderson, he hasn't played for a while. He has some sort of hand/wrist injury from getting hit with a baseball. They are sitting him for precautionary reasons.
July 18, 200322 yr Actually, Anderson still has the lead at .388. But, even if Lee did have the lead, he's only played in 10 of the 28 games so does that still really count? Technically, probably not. But then again, Anderson hasn't played in many either. I guess the point was that Lee is hitting too.
July 18, 200322 yr Technically, probably not. But then again, Anderson hasn't played in many either. I guess the point was that Lee is hitting too. Doesn't Lee catch on ocassions? Anyone know if he could be switched their on a full time basis. I know Lisk is doing good, so why not switch one of them to another team and let them both get playing time. I mean Lee is showing some ability to hit and everyone wants a good hitting catcher. I figure why not, even if the Sox dont' want him if you could develop him, he'd have damn good trade value.
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