Kinston falls in day game

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on July 12, 2005 1:46 PM

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KINSTON -- Ryan Rodriguez carried a no-hitter into the eighth and claimed his league-leading ninth win of the year as Winston-Salem defeated Kinston 5-2 before 3,048 fans Monday afternoon at historic Grainger Stadium. The Warthogs improved to 10-7 in the second half and 49-38 overall, while Kinston fell to 6-12 and 47-41.

Winston-Salem scored first in all three games of the series, this time taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Micah Shnurstein's two-run, two-out double down the left field line. The Warthogs then doubled their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third, as three straight singles loaded the bases with no one out against K-Tribe starter Adam Miller. Noah Hall hit a groundball to Luis Cotto at third though, and Cotto came home with the throw to force out Michael Spidale. Catcher David Wallace still had time to get Hall at first, but the throw was high and over the glove of first baseman Caleb Brock. The error allowed Robert Valido and Mike Myers to both score, although the runs were unearned against Miller. The Warthogs added their final run on Tom Collaro's RBI double in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez was trying to become the first Warthogs pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter since Steve Trachsel threw a seven-inning no-no in 1991. Rodriguez lost his perfect game in the fourth after retiring the first 11 men he faced, but had retired seven straight when he came out for the bottom of the eighth inning. Nathan Panther led off the inning for Kinston, however, and lined a 2-2 fastball into left field to bust up Rodriguez's gem. Wallace then ruined Rodriguez's chance at a shutout, driving the very next pitch over the wall in right for a two-run homer that brought Kinston to within 5-2. That was the extent of the excitement for the children on Daycare/Daycamp Day though, as the Indians did not get another base runner the rest of the game.

Rodriguez (9-4) allowed just two runs and two hits in six innings, with a walk and five strikeouts. Miller (1-1) gave up five runs (three earned) and nine hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out a season-high five batters. Wallace's home run was his eighth.

The Indians will enjoy an off day Tuesday before hitting the road to open a four-game series in Salem on Wednesday night.