Falcons stun Sugar Bears

For the second straight game, the Falcons have knocked off the Sugar Bears. After winning 10-4 Monday, the Falcons continued with an 11-8 win yesterday. Kevin Kouzmanoff and Miguel Olivo of all people led the Falcon offense with three hits each. Both starters were out by the fourth inning, but it was the Sugar Bears' usually reliable bullpen that failed them, particularly Joaquin Benoit, who surrendered four runs in 2.1 innings and took the loss. Arkansas sends Ian Snell to the mound today to try for the sweep against Chien Ming Wang. Though Wang has seemed invincible so far this season, did anyone think that the Falcons stood a prayer of winning with Wandy Rodriguez on the mound?

Vegas' eight-game winning streak was snapped as the Bushslappers won by a 5-2 count. John Maine was shaky but pitched out of several jams to earn the W, while Carlos Beltran delivered with 3 RBIs. Carlos Pena tied the league lead with his 13th homer for the Rat Pack.

Vancouver won their sixth straight with a 5-1 decision over Hoboken. Greg Maddux pitched 5.2 innings of shutout ball to win his third. Hoboken had hoped to get Joe Beimel into the game before they released him but they thought that putting him into a losing situation might damage his psyche. "Joey just hates losing and coupling that with cutting him could make him lose it" said manager Wally Backman. Beimel pitched briefly for Vancouver last season.

Dustin McGowan made a triumphant return from injury, limiting the slumping Straphangers to only one run and four hits in 7.1 innings. The Straphangers' loss extended their losing slide to 10 games.