Dogs surprised in Phoenix, 2-1

Surprise 2 at Phoenix 1

W: N. Hoelscher (1-0, 1.80); L: B. McCrory (1-1, 1.59); SV: D. O'Day (2)
HR: None.

The Phoenix Desert Dogs saw their win streak snapped by the Surprise Rafters after a pitchers duel started off Tuesday's contest.

Cleveland's Adam Miller held the Dogs to 1 hit through three innings while striking out 2, but former Miracle Ryan Mullins (Minnesota) matched him pitch for pitch, allowing only 2 hits while striking out 5.

The Dogs would faulter in the fifth inning, when Sean Rodriguez (LA Angeles) singled a fly ball off Adam Russell (Chicago White Sox) into left field. He moved to second base on Trevor Crowe's (Cleveland) ground out, and came in on Chris Dickerson's (Cincinnati) grounder to right.

David Huff (Cleveland) would blank the Dogs for two innings. They would not see another hit until the sixth, When Raul Padron (Oakland) singled off Tyler Pelland (Cincinnati). Padron however, got no further than 3rd before he was left stranded.

It would not be until the bottom of the 8th until the Dogs could tie up the game. Nolan Reimold (Baltimore) singled off Nate Hoelscher (Kansas City), but Pardon bunted into a force out. Blake Davis (Baltimore) would come into run for Padron. Hoelscher would take Cliff Pennington (Oakland) out on strikes before Nyjer Morgan (Pittsburgh) singled out to left. A Chris Getz (Chicago White Sox) line drive saw Davis across the plate before Jason Delaney (Pittsburgh) flew out to end the inning.

With Baltimore's Bob McCrory on the mound, Chris Davis (Texas) would reach on a fielding error by Getz. Chris Pettit (LA Angels) would be called into run for Davis. Craig Tatum (Cincinnati) and Chris Lubanski (Kansas City) would both ground out before Sean Rodriguez (LA Angels) doubled in Pettit for the game winning run.

Matt Macri (Minnesota) would be 0-for-4 at the plate with a dropped pop foul error. Drew Butera (Minnsota) replaced Padron as catcher but did not hit in the game.

Phoenix takes on the Peoria Javelinas on Wednesday at 12:35 MST at the Peoria Sports Complex.

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Miracle Manager Announced: The Minnesota Twins announded that Jeff Smith would become the manager of the Fort Myers Miracle for the 2008 season on Tuesday. Former manager Kevin Boles resigned following the 2007 season. Smith has managed in the Twins system for the last three years, taking the Beloit Snappers to game 5 of the MWL finals last season before they fell to the West Michigan Whitecaps.

Prior to his managerial career, Smith, a Naples, Florida, native, played in the Twins system as a catcher from 1996 to 2002 and in the Boston and Texas systems thereafter until his retirement in 2005. He served as an batting coach for the GCL Twins in 2005 before taking over as field manager for the Snappers in 2006 and 2007.

Read the complete Twins press release HERE.