FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
The East Texas Pump Jacks rode into McKinney looking to jump start their offense and get back to their winning ways against the first-place Marshals.
They achieved one out of two.
The Pump Jacks fell to McKinney, 8-5, in a see-saw affair that saw East Texas jump out to a pair of leads before succumbing in the middle innings.
The Pump Jacks got on the scoreboard early with the help of McKinney starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson, who walked the first three batters. Designated hitter Matt Curry delivered a single to right field that knocked in the first two runs of the evening.
Bryan Dixon got off to a much better start than his Marshals counterpart. Dixon was perfect through two innings with the help of center fielder Keenan Duke, who made an over-the-wall catch in the second to preserve the early perfect game.
McKinney finally solved Dixon in the third, after he had retired the first two hitters to make it eight straight retired to open the game. The Marshals picked up four successive singles, scoring three times to take the lead at the end of three, 3-2.
Adam De La Garza singlehandedly tied the game in the fifth inning. He bunted for a base hit to open the frame and advanced to second on a wild pitch one batter later. He proceeded to steal third, then trot home on the errant throw to make the score 3-3.
Dexter Moreno gave the Pump Jacks more hope in the sixth inning. Garrett Smith delivered a leadoff single, then Moreno hit a two-run shot to left-center to reclaim the lead. The Jacks headed into the bottom of the sixth with a 5-3 advantage.
McKinney’s leadoff hitter in the sixth, Justin Bloxom, hit his league-leading sixth homer of the season over the scoreboard, to make the score 5-4. The Marshals added a single, a walk, and a game-tying RBI double to end Dixon’s evening. Dixon (2-1) went five-plus innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits, three walks, and two strikeouts.
Matt Shelton took over on the mound for the Pump Jacks and struck out the first batter he faced, but his control would betray him. Two runs would score on a pair of wild pitches and Shelton also hit a batter. By the end of the frame, the Marshals had sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs, taking an 8-5 lead.
Luke Burnett took over for Shelton to open the seventh inning. Burnett would go two scoreless innings, allowing just a single and striking out two. Shelton’s night ended after just one inning, allowing a run on one walk and a strikeout.
The Pump Jacks would put runners on in the seventh and the ninth innings in a comeback attempt. Both times, though, the runners got on with two outs, and the Jacks couldn’t string together enough hits to rally for the tie.
The Jacks offense was led by Moreno, who made the most of his appearance with by reaching base three times. Moreno went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and two walks. Smith went 2-for-4 and scored a run, and Curry drove in a pair of runs.
The same two teams will switch venues on Friday night, with the Marshals making the visit to Driller Park for Fireworks Friday. Following the game, fans will enjoy the third fireworks display of the Pump Jacks’ inaugural season, this time with a unique summertime-themed soundtrack.
Friday’s game will be the last chance to catch the Jacks for a little while, though. The Pump Jacks open a six-game, seven-day road trip on Saturday. East Texas will take a tour of the league, making a two-game stop in Coppell over the weekend, resting next Monday, then heading to Brazos Valley (Tuesday & Wednesday, July 15 & 16) and McKinney (Thursday & Friday, July 17 & 18).
The Jacks will return to Driller Park for a four-game set beginning a week from Saturday, on July 19.
Tickets for Fireworks Friday and the remainder of the Jacks’ inaugural season schedule are on sale now. Fans may purchase tickets at the Pump Jacks office at 1100 Stone Road, Suite 120, in Kilgore, or over the phone at (903) 218-GO ET. Tickets may also be purchased online – and printed at home on any home printer – by visiting www.pumpjacksbaseball.com.
Single-game tickets start at $5 each – or $4 for children and seniors – for grandstand general admission tickets. Upper Box seats are $8 each, and Lower Box seats, which feature in-your-seat wait service, are only $10 per ticket.
