LB 13, STG 3: 4th inning powers fleet

I quickly finished tonight's post-game wrap up and dashed out to the bus (from which I'm typing these words) so as not to get left behind as was the case after last night. But I wanted to get the post-game story to yall, so here's the story from the Armada website that I put together before scurrying out of the press box.

The Armada used an eight-run 4th inning to sail away from the Roadrunners in St. George for a 13-3 win Saturday night at Bruce Hurst Field.

CF Steve Moss had a monster game, blasting two home runs in the fourth and fifth innings for 5 RBI on a 3 for 5 night. Moss scored three runs, including the first of the night for Long Beach on a Dan Trumble single in the first inning.

SP Ryan Claypool (1-0) nabbed the win after 6 IP, surrendering 3 earned runs on 6 hits while striking out 2 on 93 pitches.

The Roadrunners scored two early runs in the second and third innings, but the Armada put the game away shortly thereafter.

St. George SP Jason Norderum (0-1), who took the loss, started off the top of the fourth inning by walking the first three Sailors he faced. With the bases loaded with C David Parrish, DH Julian Williams and SS Petie Montero, 2B Cleatus Davidson knocked a two-run double to right field to make it 5-2.

Moss followed Davidson with a 3-run HR (2) to left field to make it an 8-2 ball game. The Armada went on to score three more 4th inning runs for an 11-2 lead as Parrish, Williams and Montero each batted twice in the frame.

Moss tacked on the final two Armada runs with a 2-run HR (3) in the top of the 5th for his fourth and fifth RBI of the evening.

Andrew Layfield (2 IP) and Sean Buller (1 IP) both came in to finish what Claypool started, and the duo held the Roadrunners scoreless in the final three innings.

Long Beach next plays Friday, May 30 in Chico, Calif. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm PDT. You can catch all the action live at www.longbeacharmada.com.