Spratke, Givler Supply Pitching for Salinas in 7-4 Defeat of Gulls

Two of the best pitchers in the California League combined to shut down the Ventura County Gulls on Thursday night and give the Salinas Spurs a 7-4 victory in Salinas.

Right-hander Ken Spratke picked up his 12th win of the season with last-inning relief help from right-hander Doug Givler, who retired the only Gull he faced to record his 12th save. Givler struck out Jim Bishop, who represented the tying run in the top of the ninth to nail down the victory.

Spratke (12-5) allowed four runs on six hits with a walk while striking out two. Doing the most damage for the Gulls was Luis Reyna, who hit his 13th home run of the season, a massive two-run shot in the fourth inning that traveled about 420 feet.

Reyna’s home run over the right-center field fence gave the Gulls a 2-1 lead until the Spurs scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth off starter and loser Enrique Burgos (0-2).

The Gulls threatened in the ninth on back-to-back one-out doubles by Eric Yelding and Santiago Garcia for one run. Garcia moved to third on a fly out and scored to make it 7-4 when Berroa reached first on an error. After another fly out, Darryl Landrum singled Berroa to third to bring the tying run to the plate. But Bishop went down looking on a 1-2 pitch.