Calgary's comeback catches Yuma in 11th inning

CALGARY, Alberta - With still no answer from the bullpen, every Yuma game is a desperate struggle to the final out.

Monday's series opener in Calgary was no exception as the Scorpions watched four home runs and double digit scoring negated by allowing six runs in the ninth.

The Scorpions lost to the Calgary Vipers 14-13 on a walkoff wild pitch in the 11th inning, for the ninth loss in 11 games to a Canadian team.
From the third to seventh innings the Scorpions (26-23) scored at will.

In the third inning Darrick Hale hit a solo home run. Rich Janeway hit a three-run shot in the fourth. Hector Bernal blasted a two-run shot in the fifth. Then Jeremy Cleveland capped it off with a sixth-inning grand slam.

Call it a team home run cycle.

A.J. Valentine hit an RBI ground out in the third, and Henry Calderon brought in two in the seventh with a two-run single.

Through seven innings, the Scorpions scored 10 of 13 runs on the long ball, and led by six after allowing six Viper runs in the third and one in the fourth.

Yuma's Tyler Pearson went seven innings surviving a six-run five-hit third and threw 110 pitches to stretch his starting appearance. Pearson pitched three scoreless innings starting in the fifth.

For a brief moment that was a scoreless eighth inning, James Kuzniak looked like he had the answer, but got the hook after a single and two walks loaded the bases in the ninth.

Mike Martin didn't last the inning and watched three runs come in before James Garcia replaced him only to give up the game tieing three-run homer.

Garcia struck out three to end the ninth and lasted through the 11th inning before the game ending wild pitch brought in a runner from third.