By Frank Mentesana
Special to LIVE!
July 10, 2007

SAN ANGELO, Texas – As Yogi Berra would say, Sunday’s game at Foster Field was déjà vu all over again. For the second straight night, the Alexandria Aces came from behind and edged the San Angelo Colts by the score of 4-3.

The Colts took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Aces starter Adam Cox when Joe Rhomberg singled home Ronnie Gaines, who led off the frame with a walk, then stole second, and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by John Beal.

However, San Angelo didn’t score again until the bottom of the seventh, when they trailed for the first time in the contest because of a four-run top of the seventh by Alexandria. The Aces sent eight men to the plate in the seventh and knocked Colts starter Darryll Roque out of the game after he cruised through the first six, facing just one over the minimum and allowing one hit.

Roque walked the leadoff man and gave up back-to-back singles to Selwyn Langaigne and Josh Tranum, who tied the score at 1-1 with his hit and chased the right-hander from the game. Taylor Fleming came in from the bullpen and allowed a one-out, RBI single to Luis Guance to give the Aces a 2-1 lead. Then with two outs, Evan Cherry drove in two runs with a double to left field, widening the margin to 4-1.

San Angelo got a run back in the bottom of the seventh when Josh Allan, who began the frame with his first triple of the season, came home on an infield single by Madison Edwards.

The Colts made it a one-run game in the eighth when Rhomberg doubled and scored on a single by Jason Crosland, who now has 55 RBIs. Marcus Lewis pinch-ran for Crosland and was picked off by the catcher Eddie Fitzpatrick to end the inning with the Colts trailing 4-3. Ronnie Gaines was also picked off earlier in the game by Adam Cox.

Juan Ovalles was called on to try to close it out and he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts for his third save. Cox (8-2) won his seventh straight decision and became the first ULB pitcher to reach eight wins this season. The lefty lasted 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, all earned, on 10 hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Roque (1-5) took a tough loss, hurling six innings, surrendering three runs, all earned, on just three hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

The Colts have home games through July 20, with the All-Star break from July 10-12. Before the Colts head into the break, they’ll take on the Aces in the series finale at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, July 9, when Victory sponsors a Negro League Tribute Night.

Advertising, ticket, and group information are available by calling the box office at (325) 942-6587. All Colts games are broadcast live on “Cool 100” – KCLL 100.1 FM and online at the Colts’ official website, www.sanangelocolts.com, which is updated daily with the latest team news.