Espinosa Homers Twice as AirHogs Force Game 5
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| David Espinosa launches the second of his two home runs Sunday as the AirHogs beat the St. Paul Saints 10-3 to force a game five in the championship series. Photo by Brad Barton |
After struggling offensively for their last four playoff games, the Grand Prairie AirHogs bats broke out on Sunday afternoon, with David Espinosa leading the charge with a pair of home runs, one from each side of the plate, as the Grand Prairie AirHogs beat the St. Paul Saints 10-3 in front of 428 fans at QuikTrip Park, tying the American Association Championship Series at two games apiece, setting up a decisive Game 5 on Monday night.
After John Brownell (2-0) got around a pair of two-out hits in the first inning, Stephen Douglas singled to start the bottom of the first against St. Paul starter Robert Coe (0-1). German Duran then singled through the left side, bringing up Espinosa. The AirHogs' second baseman worked the count to 3-0, took a strike, and then launched a home run to right field, giving the AirHogs their first multiple-run inning of the series and their first lead of more than two in the postseason.
Grand Prairie doubled its lead in the third, with five straight two-out hits knocking out Coe and giving the AirHogs a 6-0 advantage, as Duran and Greg Porter picked up RBIs in the frame.
But the AirHogs answered those runs right back in the bottom of the third, with a pair of walks putting two men on when Espinosa came up with two outs against lefty Donald Brandt. After taking a ball, Espinosa drilled another long drive, this time to left, giving the AirHogs their six-run lead back.
Douglas knocked in a run with a grounder in the fourth, and that was it for the scoring, as Brownell allowed only three baserunners after the third inning, throwing 137 pitches in a complete-game effort, striking out nine while walking only three, giving up seven hits and just one earned run.
Bret Severtson saved the Saints bullpen for Game 5 as well, throwing four shutout innings in relief of Brandt to keep everyone else available for the decider.
The AirHogs and Saints play the winner-takes-all Game 5 of the 2011 American Association Championship at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie on Monday at 7:05 p.m. Righty Jason Jennings will go for Grand Prairie against his Game 1 counterpart, righty Todd Mathison for St. Paul.
