PORTLAND ROCKETS 6 RICHMOND RIVER RATS 4

June 1, 2011

Good morning baseball fans, it’s a beautiful day in Portland--- and happy june 1, happy summer of 2011.  the Portland rockets opened their 52^nd  season last nite at beautiful mcbride stadium on john cate field in Richmond last evening.  And this years new version of Portland’s team won 6-4.  certainly a new team, but with an old winning formula , pitching, defense and timely hitting.   Behind returning veteran dan bollenbacher of berne, the rockets retired the river rats 12 up and 12 down, thanks to 2 baserunners cut down by catcher geoff bowers (lima)., dan faced the minimum in 4 inn.allowing but 1 hit and 1 walk. Scoreless into the 7^th, Portland drew 1^st blood when 3^rd year rocket Thomas mccowan walked, stole second and scored on chandler sidwell (kokomo) base hit.  Richmond in their half scored 3 off tyler Reynolds (Muncie)  and tyler Holloway (Anderson) but the rocket rally ----now there is an old welcome concept-

4 runs in the 8^th  rbi singles by ben smith (maria stein) Thomas mccowan, and chandler sidwell.  Brady roundtree (Anderson) tacked on an insurance run after tripling in the ninth.  But it is never easy, on a 92 degree nite, closer Holloway loaded the bases and the riverrats had the tying and winning runs on, truly a gutcheck, but Holloway ensued the hitter to pop out to roundtree----several special defensive plays by our up-the-middle guys, roundtree, team captain and 7 yr.vet, heath Williams, and cf brad kindred,,,man can this kid fly.

Round tree and sidwell 2 hits each –portland outhit em 10-7

Rockets return to Richmond tonite address 201 n w 13^th st. devin wilburn of ball state(wapahani) the starter.  Rockets play this weekend in Celina then home on june 7   special note of appreciation  baseball icon john cate has coached and impacted baseball at many levels, many ways including as a pioneer of the professional richmond roosters---congrats on having the field at mcbride stadium dedicated as john cate field,,,,,proud of our association with this connected baseball man

note game is at 7pm at 201 n w 13th street

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