KINGS TAKE GAME TWO

7/17/2010 - TRAVERSE CITY, MI –- The Traverse City Beach Bums got fantastic relief pitching out of Scott Dunn, but the Kalamazoo Kings rallied in extra innings, beating the Beach Bums 6-3 on Star Wars/Child & Family Services Night.

Traverse City got on the board in the first inning as the Beach Bums loaded the bases with one out on a hit and two walks when a Jett Ruiz passed ball scored Michael Diaz for a 1-0 lead.

The Kings scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning on a Brendan Murphy single to take a 2-1 lead. TC would come back in the bottom of the fifth as Chris Engell singled and stole second. A Matt Brown single would move Engell to third and a groundout by Diaz would score hit to tie the game and move Brown to second. Brown showed off his wheels again, stealing his four base of the series, taking third on the next pitch. The Beach Bums rightfielder then pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball as following the return throw to the pitcher, Brown stole home to put Traverse City up 3-2.

The Kings would tie the game in the sixth inning on a Kris Miller single. The game belonged to the bullpens after that. Jonathan Runnels made his Beach Bums debut with a scoreless inning and Dunn followed with three
shutout frames. In the tenth, a bunt single by Eric Suttle started the gears in motion for a three-run Kings rally to earn Kalamazoo the victory.

Dunn (0-2) took the loss despite allowing only one earned run in 3.1 innings, striking out four. Scott Reid (3-0) picked up the win for the Kings. Offensively Michael Diaz had two hits an RBI and a run scored and Matt Brown stole two bases, giving him five steals on the series.

Traverse City completes their series with the Kings on Sunday night with a Family FUNday Sunday at Wuerfel Park with a 5:05 p.m. start sponsored by Good Start Way To Grow. Kids ages 5-12 can run the bases after the game
and the entire Beach Bums team will be available for autographs after the game. Kevin Reese (5-5, 4.52) goes to the mound for TC against Joe DiPietro (2-6, 7.06) for Kalamazoo. For more information or tickets, call 231-943-0100 or visit tcbeachbums.com.