The Brazos Valley Bombers grabbed a 1-0 series lead over the Victoria Generals in the best-of-three TCL Championship Series with a 4-1 win on Monday night in Bryan.
The Bombers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with the help of back-to-back Generals errors which allowed the first two hitters of the inning to reach base. Hunter Hagler reached on an error by Generals shortstop Alvaro Rondon to lead things off. Generals starting pitcher Trey Wall then fielded a sacrifice bunt attempt by Mason Randolph, but threw it down the right field line to allow Hagler to come into score. Randolph would score later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Brett Kauten.
Hagler and Randolph were in the middle of the scoring again for the Bombers in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hagler led off the inning with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a Randolph bunt single. Horacio Correa then the chopped a ball in the hole between the first and second baseman for an RBI single. Kris Looper came on in relief of Trey Wall and threw a wild pitch to allow Randolph to score and make it 4-0 in favor of the Bombers.
Wall allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts in four plus innings on the night to take the loss. Andrew Walker tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with three strikeouts.
The Generals failed to get much going offensively off of Bombers starting pitcher Brandon Easterling. The Generals only run of the game came in the top of the seventh inning as David Paiz, Jr. led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out, and came into score on an error by the Bombers first baseman.
Easterling went the distance to pick up the complete-game win. He allowed just five hits and one walk on the night and had seven strikeouts.
Game 2 of the series will be on Tuesday night in Victoria at Riverside Stadium at 7:05pm. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free Generals program and a koozie. The first 25 women will receive a free Generals tank top.
If the Generals win Game 2 to split the series at 1-1, Game 3 will be played in Bryan on Wednesday night.
Box Score: http://tcl-generals.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=165374
