LIMA – Galion second baseman Evan Lee was looking for a way to make up his run-costing error in the eighth inning.
He found it.
Lee’s two-run double in the ninth lifted Galion to a 9-7 victory over the Lima Locos before a holiday fireworks crowd of 1,492 Monday at Simmons Field.
Lee’s game-winning double capped a seven-run Galion ninth inning in which the Locos’ bullpen totally imploded.
“I was looking for something that was fast and over the plate and I got something that was down the middle and I tried to square it up,” Lee said. “I was happy for these guys. They have my back when I make errors. … So it was nice to pick them up.”
The Locos remain in first place in the North Division of the Great Lakes Collegiate League at 19-9. The Locos are three games ahead of second-place Grand Lake (15-11). Last-place Galion is 7-21.
“It’s great,” Lee said. “It shows you can never give up on games. And beating the Locos, that’s huge, too. That shows us that we can beat anyone.”
The Locos appeared to be on their way to a win for the packed-in, festive crowd, as they led 7-2 entering the ninth.
But it wasn’t to be, as the Locos bullpen gave up seven runs in the final two innings, including walking four.
“It was not throwing strikes and getting behind in the count,” Locos coach Chad Ehrnsberger said. “With 2-0, 3-1 counts, even bad or average hitters become great hitters. Unfortunately, our (relief) pitchers were putting them in that situation tonight.”
Locos reliever Conner Davis came on to start the ninth and walked three and gave up a single.
Suddenly, the Locos’ lead went to 7-3 and on came closer Nick Spear, who had been automatic all season. Spear leads the league with eight saves and hadn’t given up a run until Monday.
But on this night Spear was unable to slam the door. He went one inning and gave up four runs, all earned, on three hits, to take the loss.
The loss spoiled another great performance by Locos left-hander Connor Curlis (Ohio State/Findlay High School), who lowered his ERA to 0.55 over 34 1/3 innings. Curlis threw seven shutout innings, giving up only one hit. He struck out seven and walked four.
Curlis threw 95 pitches 57 for strikes.
“And tonight he didn’t have his normal velocity,” Ehrnsberger said. “But he pitched and that’s what you want to see. He threw seven shutout innings without his best stuff.”
The Locos scored one in the first, one in the third and two in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead. And after eight, Lima led 7-2.
The Locos’ Jared Nixon went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI. David Chabut went 2 for 3.
Locos notes: The Locos have played a team record 28 straight days. They are scheduled to play 30 straight days, with their first off day of the year coming on Thursday. Their first three games of the year were moved to their first three Monday off days because they were short of players at the start of the year.
The Locos lead the league in pitching with an ERA of 2.89. They are third in hitting at .283. The Locos also lead the league in fielding percentage at .969.
Added to the roster over the last week were left-hander Stewart Tyler (Chattahoochee Valley CC), left-hander Chandler Waszak (Miami-Hamilton) and outfielder Lorenzo Lynch (McLennan CC).
Next up: The Locos will play Xenia at 7 p.m. today at Simmons Field.
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