Late-Inning Heroics
Heroes rally from 5 runs down for walkoff win
NEW YORK -- Fielder Jones capped New York's comeback from a 6-1 deficit, slamming a walkoff homer off Brian Wilson to lead off the ninth and send the Heroes to a 7-6 victory.
Jones' 10th homer of the year not only lifted the Heroes to the win, but knocked the Charlotte Cougars to 7 1/2 back after the Cougars fell 6-2 in Louisville.
New York starter Fred Killen allowed 6 runs on 9 hits over 5 2/3 innings, leaving down 6-1 to Philadelphia's Charley Radbourn.
The Heroes scored three in the sixth on an RBI single from Dick Higham, and RBI double from David Wright and an RBI single from Martin Dihigo.
Bill Drake threw a perfect 7th and Josh Fogg a perfect eighth, leading to the bottom of the 8th, which saw Wright bang an RBI double and Dihigo put a triple into the rightfield corner to tie it.
Brian Fuentes was perfect in the top of the 9th, setting the stage for Jones' walkoff blast in the bottom of the inning.
"We always feel we can come back," said Heroes centerfielder Grady Sizemore, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI on the day. "Counting this team out is a mistake."
Not one anyone will be making anytime soon.