VIPERS AND REDHAWKS SPLIT TWINBILL

Carlos Duncan drove in five runs including a grand slam for the Calgary Vipers as they put together a record setting third inning in game two of Wednesday’s double-header with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, and earned a split of the twinbill. Duncan would end up with a Vipers record six RBI in the game.

The Vipers scored 11 runs in the bottom of the third as they handed the RedHawks a 12-3 loss in game two after dropping the first game by a score of 6-2.

Mark Michael (9-5) pitched six solid innings for Fargo-Moorhead in game one and allowed just two runs on five hits to earn the win. Brad Rogers (6-1) took the loss for Calgary after giving up nine hits and six runs in his second start of the season.

Fargo-Moorhead centrefielder Joe Mathis hit two solo home runs to lead the RedHawks offence in the first game, while Craig Ringe, Harry Berrios, Allen Mottram and Ruben Salazar all added RBI’s in the RedHawks win.

Fargo took a 2-0 lead over the first four innings before adding four more runs in the top of the fifth to move ahead 6-0 and put the game out of reach.

Sharnol Adriana had a two-run single for Calgary in the bottom of the fifth to put an end to the shutout bid but the Vipers couldn’t manage much more offensively and fell 6-2.

The Vipers bats then exploded in game two of the double-header as they put up a club record 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning on their way to a 12-3 win in a rain-shortened contest. The previous high for runs in an inning was eight, set last season in Winnipeg.

Trailing 3-1 heading into the third, Darryl Brinkley got the inning started with a single and was followed by Sharnol Adriana who drew a walk before Duncan made it 3-2 with a double to left field that scored Brinkley.

Jason Colson then drove in Adriana with a single and Nelson Castro brought Duncan home with an RBI base hit to put Calgary on top 4-3.

Calgary was nowhere near finished either as Aaron McEachran then reached on a single before Jeff Butts made it 6-3 with a two-run single that scored both Colson and Castro. Then, in his second at-bat of the inning, Brinkley picked up an RBI single that scored McEachran and gave Calgary a four run lead.

Another walk from Adriana then loaded the bases for Duncan who drilled a Brian Hewitt offering over the left-center field wall to clear the bases and put Calgary up 11-3. The slam was Duncan’s 11th homer of the year and second career grand slam with the Vipers.

Colson then capped off the inning with his eighth home run of the year, a solo-shot off Hewitt.

The game was called after 4 and a half innings due to poor field conditions and heavy rain in the area. Clint Hosford (4-5) earned the win after throwing three scoreless innings of relief while RedHawks starter Matt Kemp (0-1) took the loss.

The Vipers (21-23) and RedHawks (30-14) will wrap up their five-game series on Thursday night at 7:05 PM at Foothills Stadium. Calgary will then finish off the 2006 season with a series at home against the Winnipeg Goldeyes beginning on Friday night.