The Chanhassen Red Birds lost a very tight pitcher's duel on Wednesday night to the visiting Prior Lake Jays.  The Jays got 4 runs, (two earned) in the top of the 8th inning to break a scoreless tie, and Kyle Zweber, starter for the Jays held the Red Birds in check the whole game striking out 11, allowing only three hits, walking just one batter and allowing only one runner into scoring position.

Red Bird All Star selection, Justin Thompson, took the mound for the home team and pitched splendidly for the first 7 innings.  He had a no-hitter into the 5th inning, when Jake Pieper C lined a solid single to left. Pieper tried to steal second but Red Bird catcher, Zach Swenson threw a strike to second for an easy tag by SS Nate Swenson.

In the top of the 6th, 3B Tony Doherty lined a triple over Casey Malmgren's head in center.  The Red Birds brought the infield in to save a run and Corey Goblirsch hit a grounder to TJ Gulden at second and he threw home for another easy tag, this time putting out Doherty trying to score on the grounder.  Facing Jays All-Star Third Baseman, John Somrock, Thompson caught Goblirsch leaning the wrong way. A quick throw to First Baseman, Justin Kurth, and an even quicker throw from Kurth to Swenson at shortstop for the third out, and the leadoff triple was wasted by the Jays.

In the top of the 8th inning, Dan Schroeder and Richard White led off with singles up the middle.  Doherty then drew a walk to load the bases with no outs.  Goblirsch hit a high hopper to SS Zach Neubauer who threw wild to first base allowing two runs to score, leaving Doherty on third, and Goblirsch at second.    Somrock then hit a clean single to left field that plated both Doherty and Goblirsch.  Somrock reached second on a wild pitch and tried to score on Scott Geisler's single to center.  But Casey Malmgren threw on target to Zach Swenson waiting at the plate to tag out Somrock by two steps.  Thompson struck out shortstop Tim Garceau for his 10th K of the game and then pitcher Kyle Zweber lifted a soft fly ball to center to end the half inning with the Jays on top, 4-0

Tom Bergner pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the Red Birds.   In the bottom of the 9th, Nate Swenson reached on a fielding error at second.  Zach Neubauer then reached on the only walk Zweber allowed.   Zweber then struck out pinch hitter, Jeff Douglas for his 11th K of the Red Bird batters.  With two men on, and one out, Tom Bergner lined softly to Zweber, who threw to first base to double Newbauer off first for the final out of the game.

The Red Birds have faced four class "B" teams so far this year, and the Jays are the first to beat the Red Birds.   A great pitching performance by Justin Thompson was overshadowed by a brilliant complete game, three-hit shutout by Prior Lake starter, Kyle Zweber.

The Red Birds will visit the Victoria Vics on Thursday evening, July 7th at Poppitz Field in Victoria for a 7:30 PM Start. 

John Gulden, Casey Malmgren and Justin Thompson will represent the Red Birds at the RVL-DRS All-Star game at Union Hill on friday night, and then the Red Birds return to league action on Satruday at Winthrop for a 6:00 game against the Eagles, and on Sunday for a 6:00 PM game at Belle Plaine Tiger Park against the Central Division Leaders.

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