ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A seven-run fourth inning capped by an Andrew Pratt two-run home run for Silver broke open a 1-1 game as the Cherry & Silver World Series is tied 1-1 after Silver’s 8-1 victory in Game 2 on a windy Wednesday evening at Santa Ana Star Field.
Cherry hadn’t led in the series until its outburst in the fourth inning that was led off by a Chris Dunn single and a Jeff Deimling double. Matt Villalobos gave Cherry its first lead of the series with a two-run single to make it 3-1 over Silver.
RBI singles by Luis Gonzalez and Andre Gregory and a double steal that scored Gonzalez pushed the Cherry advantage to 6-1.
That’s when Pratt blasted a two-run shot well over the fence in left field for his third extra-base hit in two games to give Cherry an 8-1 lead.
“We knew we had to come out here and get this game after losing Tuesday,” Pratt said. “But we know there is still plenty of work to do to try and win this series.”
That was more than enough for a Cherry pitching staff that since allowing five runs in the first two innings of Game 1 has allowed one unearned run in its last 11 innings.
Fernando Fernandez-Beltran picked up the win for Cherry, going the first four innings and giving up an unearned run on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Jaylyn Whitehead pitched the final three innings, giving up just two hits with three strikeouts and a walk to pick up the save.
Gonzalez, Gregory and Dunn each had two hits to lead Cherry as eight different players accounted for the team’s 11 hits.
Brandon Langan got the loss for Silver, going 3.1 innings and giving up six runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Danny Collier and Anthony Acevedo each went 2-for-3 to pace Cherry at the plate.
Game 3 of the series will be played 6 p.m. Thursday at Santa Ana Star Field.
Fourth-inning outburst leads Cherry past Silver, 8-1
