PALM SPRINGS, CA – The POWER (19-1, 8-1) once again used quality pitching and timely hitting to beat the Long Beach Legends, winning 9-3 on Tuesday.
Mark Seyler pitched seven strong innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Ryan Jones and Tyler Truitt were difference-makers at the plate for the POWER. Jones crushed a three-run home run to give Palm Springs the lead in the first, while Truitt roped a two-RBI double in the sixth inning that keyed a larger, five-run rally.
The POWER found themselves trailing by two before coming to bat but a four-run first frame erased the deficit. Jared Theisen led off with a single and stole second and third before scoring on T.J. Bennett’s sacrifice fly. After Legends starter Cody Yates surrendered two-out walks to Anthony Lombardo and Anthony Torres, Jones turned on an inside fastball and drove it out to right field for his third home run of the year to give Palm Springs a 4-2 edge.
After starter Ryan DeJesus was removed after one inning, Seyler took control of the game for the POWER. The right-hander faced just five batters more than the minimum and did not allow a hit in his final three innings of work.
Palm Springs put the result beyond a reasonable doubt in the sixth inning. Michael Massi and Brett Sullivan started the frame with back-to-back singles. With Theisen batting the POWER ran a safety squeeze to perfection, as Massi scampered home from third. Truitt was the next man up and the Palm Springs-native sent a double to the left field wall to plate Sullivan and Theisen. By the time the rally was over the POWER advantage was 9-3, which would be all the offense they needed.
Mark Lukowski worked a perfect ninth inning to nail down the win for Palm Springs. With the win, the POWER now have a 1 1/2 game lead on Long Beach.
Palm Springs travels to Long Beach tomorrow to play a doubleheader against the Legends, before returning to Palm Springs Stadium on Friday to battle the Casa Grande Cotton Kings. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Remember, Friday is Dollar Beer Night, with Bud and Bud Light drafts available for only $1. Fans that cannot make it to the stadium can listen to the game on pspbb.com
