Report by the Armada’s Josh Feldman

Brandon Howard’s three-run triple provided the winning runs as the Armada snapped a five-game losing streak, topping the Outlaws, 5-4, at Nettleton Stadium on Saturday.  The Armada improves to 10-11 while the Outlaws fall to 13-11.

Long Beach surged ahead in the seventh on Howard’s only hit of the night.  J.J. Sherrill led of the inning with a walk, and singles by Andy Bouchie and Steve Young set the table for Howard’s bases-clearing triple to break a tied ballgame and give the Armada a 5-2 lead.    

The Outaws plated two in the bottom of the seventh with RBIs from Jonny Ash and Rich Janeway, making it 5-4 after seven.  

Starter Ben Fox, making his fourth start of the season, gave up four runs, three earned, and five hits in a winning effort.  Fox (2-0) struck out four, walked two and hit three batters in 6 1/3 innings of work.  

Outlaws starter Michael Martin (2-2), making his fifth start of the year, pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits with three strike outs and two walks.  He was tagged with the loss.  

Koichi Misawa pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief, striking out two.  Closer Ryne Tacker pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.  

Long Beach got on the board first.  Daryl Jones singled to lead off the second inning, and Matt Edgecombe eventually drove him in for a 1-0 lead.  The Outlaws responded later in the frame when Jason Crosland hit a solo homerun to center field off Ben Fox, tying the game 1-1.

Steve Young drove in J.J. Sherrill, grounding out in the fifth inning, giving the Armada a 2-1 lead.  The Outlaws answered in the sixth when Truan Mehl’s RBI-single scored Bryan Silverman to tie the game, 2-2.

The Armada and Outlaws wrap up this three game series on Sunday as Scott Lonergan (2-2) takes the mound for Long Beach against Chico’s Evan White (3-1).  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm from Nettleton Stadium.   Long Beach then flies to Edmonton for a three game series against the Capitals June 23-25.