COLEMAN GETS FIRST AAA WIN

With the score tied at 1, the New Orleans Zephyrs put their first two batters on base in the eighth inning against Omaha Royals reliever Louis Coleman on Wednesday at Zephyr Field. As he had done so often at LSU, Coleman pitched out of the jam.He retired the Zephyrs in order in the ninth, and the Royals scored in the 10th to take a 2-1 lead. When reliever Josh Rupe stranded a Zephyrs runner at third in the bottom of the inning, Coleman had his first Triple-A victory.

“Kept the ball down, got a couple of ground balls,’’ Coleman (1-0), who was making his third Triple-A appearance since being called up Friday from Double-A Northwest Arkansas, said of the eighth-inning situation. ”Good play by Kila (first baseman Kila Ka’aihue) helped me get out of it.’’

After Coleman allowed singles to Bryan Petersen and Gookie Dawkins to open the eighth, Neil Wilson tried to sacrifice. Ka’aihue fielded the bunt and threw to third for the out. Tim Torres grounded to first for the second out, and Coleman ended the threat by striking out Scott Cousins on an inside slider.

After giving up three runs in one inning Friday against Iowa his Triple-A debut, Coleman pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings Tuesday and Wednesday against the Zephyrs.

“He looked good again, ’’ Omaha pitching coach Doug Henry said. ”He’s got good stuff. He’s been throwing the ball well. He got a lot of confidence in Double-A. There’s no reason for him to change.’’
The Royals played small ball to score the decisive run.

Facing reliever Adalberto Mendez (3-2), Cody Clark led off the 10th with a bunt single, and Kurt Merkins pinch-ran. David Lough popped up a bunt. Third baseman Hector Luna, trying to get a double play, let the ball drop and threw to second for a force, but Lough beat the relay to first. Irving Falu singled, and Alex Gordon walked to load the bases. Ka’aihue hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Lough.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, New Orleans’ Bryan Petersen walked with one out, stole second and reached third when catcher Manny Pina threw the ball into center field. But Rupe struck out Gookie Dawkins and retired Wilson on a groundout.
The Zephyrs left 13 runners on base and were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

“It was one of those days where either their pitcher made good pitches with guys in scoring position or we swung at bad pitches, ’’ New Orleans acting manager Greg Norton said. ”There was a situation where we couldn’t get someone to third on a bunt. Tough one. Positive spin — we split the series going to Iowa.’’

The Zephyrs jumped ahead against starter Luis Mendoza in the second. Dawkins hit a two-out double, driving home Petersen from first base.

Omaha tied the score at 1 in the fifth. Former Zephyr Jai Miller led off with a double to right, and Clark walked. After Lough sacrificed, Falu drove home Miller with a sacrifice fly.

Zephyrs starter Sean West, who allowed four hits and one run in seven innings, had his longest outing this season.