Pump Jacks visit new team but suffer same result

Ask members of the East Texas Pump Jacks and they'll say that they're "this close". A hit here, a break there, and the outcome would be different.

Tuesday night was "this close" yet again, as the Pump Jacks travelled to Brazos Valley for the first time and fell to the Bombers, 3-2. The Jacks came back from an early 2-0 hole to tie the score in the seventh, only to see a flare to right plate the winning run for the Bombers in the bottom of the eighth inning.

A bright spot for East Texas was starting pitcher Clint Helms, who allowed one earned run in six-plus innings. Pitching against his former team, the Flint native struck out six against just two walks and allowed only five hits. He now has an ERA of 0.75 in two starts this season, with seven strikeouts and only eight hits in 12 innings pitched.

Also encouraging was the Jacks' ability to piece together a comeback and tie the score in the late innings. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Pump Jacks scored runs in the sixth and seventh innings to erase the Brazos Valley advantage.

In the sixth, JD Dunn earned a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on an RBI single by Paige Hodges.

A leadoff baserunner came around to score in the seventh as well. Daniel Nottebart opened the frame with a single, then advanced to second on Jared Wondra's bunt. One out later, Adam De La Garza singled to tie the score.

But leadoff baserunners also doomed East Texas. The first two batters reached base in the third inning off of Helms, and both came around to score to stake Brazos Valley to a 2-0 lead. In the eighth, TJ Mittelstaedt turned an 0-2 count into a leadoff walk, then came around to score the winning run off reliever Kory Cleveland (0-2).

The Pump Jacks also had their chances to put runs on the board - but remained "this close" from scoring. The Jacks loaded the bases in the first inning but couldn't score, and left two runners on base in each of the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings. One more key hit in any of those frames spells a different outcome for this inaugural Pump Jacks squad.

East Texas outhit the Bombers, 8-7, with De La Garza, Dunn, and Hodges posting two hits apiece. Nottebart and Pat McCrory also registered safeties for the Pump Jacks.

The Pump Jacks remain in Brazos Valley Wednesday night to close out their first two-game set against the Bombers. East Texas will send to the mound Justin Fowler, a freshman hurler from Texarkana College and a native of New Diana. Fowler was selected by the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball's annual draft earlier this month.

The Jacks return to Driller Park on Thursday to begin a home-and-home series against the Marshals. Thursday's 7:05 pm contest will be the first Thirsty Thursday of the season for Pump Jacks fans. Concessions will offer a deal on soft drinks, with regular size fountain products priced at just 50 cents.

Following the Friday game in McKinney, Eat Texas welcomes the Copperheads to town on Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22. Following a Monday off-day, the Bombers will visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24 and 25.

Tickets are available at the Pump Jacks office at 1100 Stone Road, Suite 120. + Boston were over, strolled back onto the court.

"I didn't want a championship," he yelled to no one in particular. "I needed a championship. I ain't going nowhere. I'm spending the night."

In the closing minutes, Boston fans sang as if they were in a nearby pub, celebrating the first NBA championship won in the city since 1986. They serenaded the newest champs with "Seven-teen" and taunted Kobe Bryant and his Lakers, who were buried by a green-andwhite avalanche.