Sports

Juice blank Peanuts

• Lavelle Morgan frustrates South Georgia as the Peanuts are shut out for the second time this season, this time, 5-0, against Bradenton.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — A varied collection of jersey colors transformed the South Georgia Peanuts into members of the Homestead Grays, Kansas City Monarchs and St. Louis Stars during Negro League tribute night Monday at Paul Eames Park.

And none of the 1,551 fans in attendance would argue, indeed, that the Peanuts didn’t look much like themselves.

By the same token, it made Bradenton’s Lavelle Morgan look more like Satchel Paige.

Morgan allowed just two hits through seven scoreless innings, then watched his bullpen hang on to complete only the second shutout of the season against a lethargic South Georgia squad, 5-0.

“There was no fire out there (Monday night),” said Peanuts manager Wally Backman, whose team also was blanked June 7 at Macon. “It was low-energy. You are going to have a game like that from time to time, but you don’t ever want to see your players do that.”

The loss temporarily relinquished first place for the Peanuts (40-15 overall, 7-4 in second half), who now are only percentage points behind the Juice (32-24, 8-4) for the top spot.

Morgan, a stout lefty, worked with his oversized Negro League jersey cascading past his elbows and midway down his forearms, but didn’t look the least bit uncomfortable in frustrating the Peanuts. He wasn’t overpowering in striking out five and walking three, but still retired 15 batters in a row at one point.

“He was coming right at us,” Peanuts catcher Nick Prosise said. “He had a real good night. I think we just came out a little flat. And we saw a pitcher on a good day. That is not a good recipe for winning.”

Jim O’Malia and Wayne Hedden both tossed scoreless innings to complete the shutout. Hedden forced Johnny Washington to line out to first with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. It marked the first time South Georgia put a runner on third and put an end to what was a night which moved in slow motion for the Peanuts.

“We were pretty much dead the whole game,” Prosise said. “We needed a little energy or little spark. We were sitting back a little too much. Coming off an off day, these are tough games to play. It’s no excuse, because we didn’t come to play (Monday).”

Even worse, some that did come to play had their night’s cut short.

The Peanuts were forced to call on the bullpen as starter Dumas Garcia left the game after walking the first batter he faced in the third inning.

With the trainers and coaches huddled around Garcia, staring at a blister he ripped open Monday on his throwing hand, they discussed whether to let him continue. Eventually, Garcia dropped the ball onto the rubber and walked to the dugout. Garcia first injured the hand last week against Aiken and Backman said the blister will have to heal completely before the right-hander takes the hill again.

Garcia came into the game as the most consistent starter for the Peanuts at 6-1 with a 2.96 ERA. He also held a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio, but took the loss Monday.

With Garcia gone, Bradenton capitalized immediately when the batter Garcia walked, Morgan, scored on a fielder’s choice.

With another run already across in the fourth, Morgan again helped his own cause, lining an RBI single to left field off Mike Colacchio for a 3-0 Juice lead.

Colacchio ended up logging four innings and giving up three earned runs.

Bradenton added two more runs in the next two innings. The first was unearned after a Al Corbeil ground ball slid between the legs of first baseman Dustin Taylor. Usually on the mound, Taylor is playing first base in the place of suspended starter Brandon Woolard, who bumped an umpire during last Friday’s game against the Macon Music and eventually was ejected.

The second came on a sacrifice fly by Julius Thames in the sixth, leaving Bradenton ahead 5-0, which is where it would stand.

The loss of Garcia put a strain on a Peanuts bullpen which sent four pitchers running to the mound. Jared Doyle, Shannon Wirth and Chris Webb all pitched one scoreless inning apiece.

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