Fullerton, California. Frank Flores hit for the cycle, Keith Miller and Michael Barnett went 5 for 5, and the Monkey team pounded out a collective 34 hits in a dominating offensive performance against the Big Stix Tuesday night at Lemon Park.
The Big Stix and the Monkeys have a rivalry dating back several seasons, and while the personnel may be slightly different from year-to-year, the intensify is always there. “The Big Stix games are always exciting for us,” said Monkeys manager John Upton. “The go after it like we do- both teams swing the bats hard and force the defenses to make plays.”
Neither team took a walk during the entire contest, and with a combined 53 hits, the defenses were busy all night. While neither team played flawless defensively, the Monkeys were better in the field, committing just two errors to the Big Stix’s five, and they benefited from stellar glovework from middle infielders Eric Alvarez and Ruben Quinones and first baseman Daniel Quinones. “We made it interesting out there at times with near collisions in the bottom of the third between Eric Alvarez and left fielder Keith Miller in shallow left and Matt Beighley and Mike Barnett in right center field. We were fortunate that no one was hurt.”
Pitcher Frank Flores was sharp, consistently hitting the corners and edges of the plate all night and inducing the aggressive Big Stix into swinging at some very tough pitches.
With the win Tuesday evening, the Monkeys move back into first place and clinched one of just three post-season playoff spots. The Shaggers, despite losing to the Brown Bombers in the 8:00 game, also clinched a post-season berth.
The Big Stix and the Monkeys have a rivalry dating back several seasons, and while the personnel may be slightly different from year-to-year, the intensify is always there. “The Big Stix games are always exciting for us,” said Monkeys manager John Upton. “The go after it like we do- both teams swing the bats hard and force the defenses to make plays.”
Neither team took a walk during the entire contest, and with a combined 53 hits, the defenses were busy all night. While neither team played flawless defensively, the Monkeys were better in the field, committing just two errors to the Big Stix’s five, and they benefited from stellar glovework from middle infielders Eric Alvarez and Ruben Quinones and first baseman Daniel Quinones. “We made it interesting out there at times with near collisions in the bottom of the third between Eric Alvarez and left fielder Keith Miller in shallow left and Matt Beighley and Mike Barnett in right center field. We were fortunate that no one was hurt.”
Pitcher Frank Flores was sharp, consistently hitting the corners and edges of the plate all night and inducing the aggressive Big Stix into swinging at some very tough pitches.
With the win Tuesday evening, the Monkeys move back into first place and clinched one of just three post-season playoff spots. The Shaggers, despite losing to the Brown Bombers in the 8:00 game, also clinched a post-season berth.
Play-by-Play
Top of First Inning: Monkeys
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez singled to right field, M. Beighley advanced to third
- F. Flores doubled to left center field, M. Beighley and E. Alvares scored
- M. Barnett singled to center field, F. Flores scored
- M. Gonzales grounded to third, M. Barnett forced out at second
- K. Miller doubled to left center field, M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda singled to right field, K. Miller scored
- D. Quinones singled, B. Castaneda advanced to second
- R. Quinones grounded into a double play- short to second to first.
5 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 5, Big Stix 0
Top of Second Inning: Monkeys
- J. Upton lined out to short
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez singled to left field, M. Beighley advanced to third
- F. Flores singled to left center field, M. Beighley scored, and E. Alvares advanced to third
- M. Barnett flied out to center field, E. Alvares scored
- M. Gonzales flied out to center
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 7, Big Stix 0
Top of Third Inning: Monkeys
- K. Miller tripled to right center field
- B. Castaneda grounded out to short, K. Miller scored
- D. Quinones doubled to right, E. Alvarez substituted as pinch runner
- R. Quinones reached safely on an error, E Alvarez advancing to second
- J. Upton singled to left, E Alvarez scoring.
- M. Beighley singled to right field, J. Upton advanced to second.
- E. Alvarez popped out to second
- F. Flores flew out to right
3 runs, 4 hits, 1 errors
Monkeys 10, Big Stix 6
Top of Fourth Inning: Monkeys
- M. Barnett singled to center field
- M. Gonzales doubled to left, M. Barnett scored
- K. Miller singled to center, M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda reached on a fielding error, K. Miller to third
- D. Quinones singled, K. Miller scored,
- R. Quinones grounded to third base, D Quinones forced to second, K. Miller scored
- J. Upton singled to left center, R. Quinones advanced to third
- M. Beighley flew out to center
- E. Alvarez singled, J. Upton advanced to third
- F. Flores homered to deep center, E. Alvarez and J. Upton scored
- M. Barnett doubled to right center, but was thrown out attempting to advance to third.
8 runs, 8 hits, 1 errors
Monkeys 18, Big Stix 6
Top of Fifth Inning: Monkeys
- M. Gonzales flied out to left field
- K. Miller singled to center,
- B. Castaneda singled to right field, K. Miller advanced to third
- D. Quinones flied out to right, K. Miller scored
- R. Quinones singled
- J. Upton singled, R. Quinones advanced to second
- M. Beighely singled, J. Upton advanced to second, R. Quinones advanced to third
- E. Alvarez grounded out to second
2 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 20, Big Stix 12
Top of Sixth Inning: Monkeys
- F. Flores grounded out to second
- M. Barnett singled to center field
- M. Gonzales flied out to left center
- K. Miller tripled to right field, M. Barnett scored
- B. Castaneda grounded out to second
5 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 21, Big Stix 3
Top of Seventh Inning: Monkeys
- D. Quinones flied out to left
- R. Quinones tripled to right
- J. Upton singled to left, R. Quinones scored
- M.Beighley grounded to shortstop, J. Upton forced out at second
- E. Alvarez singled, M Beighely advanced to third
- F. Flores singled, M. Beighley scored, E. Alvarez advanced to third
- M Barnett singled to center, E. Alvarez scored
- M. Gonzales flied out to left field
4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 25, Big Stix 12
Final Score
Monkeys 25, Big Stix 13
Box Score
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