The Laredo Lemurs have been on an unbelievable run lately. Winners of 10 straight, they entered Tuesday’s game 15-3 since the All-Star break. In the other dugout the Grand Prairie AirHogs had lost seven straight, and were 2-8 in their last ten. Monday the Lemurs defeated the AirHogs 9-5, and it was figured that much more of the same was on the way.

However, the AirHogs have played Laredo well this season, especially in the last few weeks. Of the three losses that the team from Texas has endured during this run, all have come at the hands of Grand Prairie. After last night that number is now four.

Grand Prairie got six great innings from Bennett Whitmore and Brian Myrow added a two-run home run in the 4-2 win. The loss ended the win-streak, but since the St. Paul Saints lost as well, the Lemurs maintained their seven-game lead in the Wild Card standings.

Whitmore and Tyler Pearson kept their opponents down through the first three innings. In the fourth inning the AirHogs finally got to Pearson. With two-outs Matthew Burns singled and then stole second base. On a 2-1 pitch Brian Peterson singled to score Burns and the score was 1-0.

In the sixth both starters struggled. In the top of the inning Carlos Ramirez drew a walk for Laredo. Harrison Kain then drove a ball to the wall for a triple, scoring Ramirez all the way from first base. Nick Van Stratten then drove a 2-1 pitch into left field that was deep enough to score Kain and quickly the Lemurs were out in front.

In the bottom half of the inning Grand Prairie took back the lead. Just as quickly as Laredo scored to lead off the top half of the sixth, it was just as quickly how the AirHogs took that lead back. Jason Botts singled to start the inning. Brian Myrow battled to a full count, even fouling off a 3-2 pitch to stay alive. Then Pearson made a huge mistake, leaving a pitch out over the plate that Myrow drilled over the wall for his third home run of the year.

In the bottom of the seventh the AirHogs would add an insurance run. Michael Shreves relieved Pearson and gave up back-to-back singles to Ryde Rodriguez and Botts to start the frame. Myrow was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. On an 0-1 pitch Madison Carter hit a shallow single that scored Rodriguez and the score was 4-2. Scott Weismann relieved Shreves and retired the final three batters without any further damage, but the gap was too much for the Lemurs to overcome.

Pearson took the loss to drop to 7-6 on the year. Whitmore (2-2) earned the victory with six innings of two hit, one walk ball. He also struck out three. Dakota Watts closed out the game for his 2oth save of the year.

The two teams will face off again on Wednesday.

By Robert Pannier
Senior Baseball Editor
Member of the IBWAA