08/13/2010 9:04 PM
The Victoria Generals seemed to be on their way to a loss in Game 1 of the 2010 TCL Championship Series on Friday night in Kilgore as they trailed 5-0 to the East Texas Pump Jacks heading into the eighth inning. The Generals rallied to score five runs in the inning to tie the game up at 5-5. Trace Knoblauch got the scoring going with a two run single with the bases loaded. The Generals then scored two runs on a wild pitch and a passed ball to make the score 5-4. Brendan McGaheran then delivered a clutch RBI single to tie the game at 5-5. General's relief pitcher Roman Madrid held the Pump Jacks scoreless in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mark Hudson then smacked a double to straight away center field with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Andrew Russell was then intentionally walked. The Pump Jacks then brought in the 2010 All-TCL Closer Dusty Ross to try to hold off the Generals. Conner Mach hit a single on the first pitch from Ross to load the bases. Then Kenny Jackson drove a high fly ball into centerfield for a sacrifice fly to score Hudson and give the Generals the 6-5 lead. Roman Madrid worked a perfect ninth inning, getting the TCL Player of the Year, Lee Orr, to strike out to end the game and pick up the win.
Madrid pitched the final four innings of the game for the Generals. He gave up two runs on three hits while striking out five to earn the win in relief. Jared Hopper started for the Generals, pitching five innings, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out five. Mark Hudson led the General's offense, going 4-for-5 in the game with a double and two runs scored. The win by the Generals broke the Pump Jacks 12-game home winning streak.
The Generals are now one win away from being crowned the 2010 TCL Champions. Game 2 will be played at 7:05pm at Riverside Stadium in Victoria on Saturday night. If the Pump Jacks win Game 2, the two teams will meet again on Sunday night in Victoria for the decisive Game 3.
