Recap
June 28, 2011. Matt Beighley, Frank Flores, and Michael Barnett all homered as the Fullerton Monkeys cruised to a convincing victory over the Shaggers at Lemon Park on Tuesday night. The game ended via the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth inning as Barnett crossed the plate with the team’s 18th run, capping a near flawless game by the hometown Monkeys.
“I knew when the team was warming up that we were ready to play tonight,” remarked team manager John Upton. “Coming off that disappointing performance against WIT in the playoffs last week, the guys were fired up and ready to make a statement right away.” Their opponents Tuesday night, the Shaggers, had won the lower division in Fall, 2010 and were moving back to Lemon Park after a season of middle-division play. The fans could not have asked for a better season opener than a clash between two of the league’s pre-season favorites.
The Monkeys squad taking the field had a slightly different look than last season’s squad. Gone were 2B John Naslund (on leave for the summer), 1B Michael Gonzales (personal day), and utility infielder John Maresca (scouting trip), and in the lineup were 3B Keith Miller, activated from the reserve squad, and free-agent signing, SS Eric Alvarez. The Quinones brothers, Ruben and Daniel, moved over to 2B and 1B, and Matt Beighley patrolled left-center for the Monkeys.
The defensive alignment seemed to work as the Monkey played flawlessly in the field, holding the Shaggers to just three runs and seven hits over five innings. “I though everyone looked great in the field tonight,” remarked Upton. “Eric and Keith were as solid as can be on the left side of the infield, Danny and (pitcher) Frank Flores combined for some nice put-outs at first, and Mike Barnett made some great catches in right field.”
Offensively, the Monkeys were on their game as well. After each team scored two runs in the top of the first, the Monkeys added to their lead in the second and third innings before blowing the game wide open with a nine-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth. The Shaggers never scored a run past the third inning, and the game ended with Barnett’s blast with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
Leading the way offensively for the Monkeys were leadoff hitter Matt Beighley (2-3, HR), Frank Flores (3-4, 3B, HR, 3 runs scored), Mike Barnett (2-4, 3B, HR), Brian Castaneda (2-3, 2B), and John Upton (2-3, 3B).
Pitcher Frank Flores picked up his first victory of the season, going five innings and giving up just three earned runs on seven hits.
Monkey Notes
Next game is at 6:45pm at Lemon Park, where the Monkeys will host the Brown Bombers, who defeated the Night Stockers in their opener 14-8. The Monkeys split the series with the Brown Bombers last season.
The Monkeys expect to have Michael Gonzales and John Maresca back in the line-up for the game July 5.
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