Gulls Lose in 11th, 6-4

The Visalia Oaks scored in the 11th inning to beat the Ventura County Gulls, 6-4, Friday night at Recreation Park in Visalia. Tom Schwarz hit a two-run home run off Gull reliever Willie Shanks in the 11th.

Shanks escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 10th when Gull shortstop Eric Yelding made a running catch in short left field of a pop fly.

With the Gulls leading, 4-3, Visalia tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Tom Thomas scored on a throwing error by Gull third baseman Omar Malave.

Thomas had reached base on an error by first baseman Domingo Martinez and advanced to second on a walk to Tim Senne. Malave fielded a bunt by Gary Borg and threw wildly to first, allowing Thomas to score. Gull reliever Mark Dickman retired the next three batters to force extra innings.

The Gulls scored first in the second inning when Sandy Guerrero walked to force home Ken Kinnard, who had singled. Ventura County scored twice more in the third when Luis Reyna singled in Rob Ducey and Greg Myers, both of whom had singled.

The final Gull run in regulation came in the sixth when Yelding doubled down the left field line to score Martinez, who had walked. The first four Gull runs came off Visalia starter J. R. Coleman.

Visalia scored once each in the third, fourth and fifth innings off Gull starter Jose Mesa. Steve Mumaw replaced Mesa in the with two out in the seventh and pitched out of a jam. Dickman replaced Mumaw in the eighth.