Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

By BRIAN BENNETT Special to the Times Leader
Saturday, June 12, 2004     Page: 1B

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When you get solid pitching, good defense and power
production from unlikely sources, you’ve got a chance to get on a hot streak.
   
And right now, the Red Barons are red-hot.
    Riding a six-run explosion in the first inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
rolled to its eighth consecutive victory Friday night, pounding the Louisville
Bats 9-3 to open a four-game series. The Red Barons improved to a season-high
16 games over .500.
   
“Right now, we’re running very well,” manager Marc Bombard said. “It’s
fun to watch.”
   
The fun started early Friday. The game’s first batter, Anderson Machado,
belted a 2-1 fastball from Bubba Nelson (1-9) into the right-field bleachers.
   
Two outs later, Shawn Wooten slapped an RBI single to make it 2-0. After
another single, Nelson appeared to be out of the jam when catcher A.J. Hinch
grounded to short. But a hustling Brian Hitchcox beat Aaron Holbert’s throw to
second, resulting in a bases-loaded threat.
   
Jorge Padilla turned it into a full-blown crisis for Louisville by blasting
a grand slam to left. All nine Red Barons batted in the first.
   
It was a big night for both Padilla and Machado, who each added solo home
runs in the fourth inning. Machado now has four homers in his past three games
after having only one before that stretch.
   
“I never try to hit a home run, just hard contacts,” said Machado, who
also had a single and two sharply hit lineouts. “I’ve been lucky. I feel real
comfortable right now at home plate, and I’m enjoying this time.”
   
Handed a six-run lead, Robert Ellis (5-4) knew what to do. His last time
out, after all, he threw a seven-inning no-hitter against the Bats as part of
Sunday’s doubleheader sweep. Ellis said he didn’t feel quite right warming up,
but he felt a lot better when he saw the scoreboard as he took the mound.
   
“I didn’t really have a good rhythm in my bullpen,” he said. “But (the
lead) allowed me to settle down a lot quicker. I didn’t really have to worry
about getting too fine.”
   
Ellis walked none and gave up four hits in seven innings. He ran his
scoreless streak against Louisville to 12 1/3 innings until Jermaine Clark
smacked an RBI triple. Kenny Kelly later added a sacrifice fly.
   
Ellis, who came over in a trade with Cleveland on June 3, has only
witnessed one Red Barons loss since.
   
“It’s a nice change from Buffalo to here,” he said. “It’s a different
atmosphere in the clubhouse. This is more, `Let’s go out and kick somebody’s
butt,’ while with the Indians it was, `Let’s develop some guys for the big
leagues.’ ”
   
Ellis’ teammates made several fine plays behind him, including two diving
catches by Lou Collier in left. Two bang-bang plays from the infield held a
ninth-inning Louisville rally to one run.
   
The Red Barons have scored 33 runs in their past four games.
   
“The team is doing a very good job right now,” Machado said. “If we keep
playing like this, we’re going to win a lot of games.”
   
They will go for nine in a row tonight at 6:15. Clay Condrey (5-2, 3.97
ERA) will try to keep it going against Louisville right-hander Seth Etherton
(2-1, 3.66).