Purple Evens Series With 6-4 Win In Game Two
November 07, 2014 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Jackson Mims' bases clearing double in the top of the fifth highlighted Purple's six-run come from behind victory in game two of the 2014 Purple-Gold World Series Friday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win, Purple forces a winner take-all game three Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (EST).
Trailing 3-0 in the fifth, Luke Bolka reached to start the stanza on a strikeout passed ball. Kirk Morgan followed with an infield single and two batters later, Bailey Sugg reached on another infield base hit to load the bases. Reid Love plated Purple's first run with a walk pushing across Bolka before Gold went to the bullpen with the bases juiced spelling Jacob Wolfe for Brandon Taylor. All three runners moved up 90 feet on Taylor's balk, which allowed Morgan to score.
The inning continued when Charlie Yorgen and Bryce Harman drew consecutive free passes allowing Sugg to score and loading the bases for Eric Tyler, who fouled out to Travis Watkins behind the plate. With two outs, Mims delivered the big blow lacing a double down the right field line scoring all three runners and giving Purple its first lead of the afternoon, 6-3.
Morgan (1-0) earned the win in relief giving up one run on one hit in 2.2 frames. Starter Nick Durazo worked 3.1 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Taylor (0-1) took the loss after surrendering two runs (both unearned) on one hit in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen. Despite giving up four runs (one earned), Wolfe was solid in his outing striking out six in 4.1 frames. Through four innings the lefty had allowed just three runners to reach first (two by singles) and had four punch-outs.
Gold jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to three hits and a Purple error. Jimmy Boyd started the frame with a single to right and took third on Watkins' base hit to right center. Boyd would score the game's first run on the backend of a double steal. Jeff Nelson reached on a Yorgen error putting runners on the corners before Tyler Strawn singled home Watkins with a shot to right field. Ryan Clinch plated the final run of the frame on a sac bunt towards first base, easily allowing Nelson to cross home.
Nelson pulled Gold within two, 6-4, in the bottom of the fifth sending a belt-high Morgan fastball over the left field wall with two outs. But Morgan settled down and retired the final four batters of the contest ending game two with a strikeout of player-manager Hunter Allen.
