South Jersey Baseball:
Escalona's Six RBI Lead Thunder to Win, Magic Number at "2"

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Public Relations

(Erie, PA)- Felix Escalona led a 14-hit attack with three hits, including a home run, and six RBI as the Thunder beat Erie, 11-2, on Tuesday night. Every starter collected a hit in the victory.

The win puts Trenton's Magic Number to win the Northern Division at "2" going into tomorrow's action. The Thunder can clinch it themselves with a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 5:35 PM. Phil Hughes (9-3, 2.35) and Francisco Butto (1-2, 3.43) will start the games for Trenton.

After Erie (58-76) got a run in the 1st Inning, Trenton (75-60) tied the game on a Brett Gardner sacrifice fly in the top of the second. The Thunder took the lead for good in the 3rd Inning off Erie starter Nate Bumstead on an RBI single by RF Vince Faison and a three-run homer from Escalona, his 9th of the season, for a 5-1 lead. Trenton added four more runs off Bumstead in the 4th Inning on RBI singles by Faison and LF Justin Christian and a two-run double by Escalona. Escalona capped off his six RBI night with a run-scoring single in the 8th Inning.

Bumstead (7-13) took the loss allowing nine runs and 10 hits in four innings. Meanwhile, Thunder starter Matt DeSalvo (4-4) worked around seven walks in 6 1/3 innings to get the win. He allowed two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts to get his secoond win since July 10th.

Escalona's six RBI are one off of the Trenton record for a game. Christian established a new record in the game as well. He scored twice in the contest, giving him 29 runs scored for August. That passes the old record for a month (27), held by Tyrone Woods and David Eckstein.