Wings drop ninth straight

HARLINGEN - Amarillo Dillas starting pitcher Taylor Allen (5-6) didn't allow a run until the seventh inning to beat the Harlingen WhiteWings 2-1 in Game 1 of a doubleheader Monday at Harlingen Field.

Game 2 was running late and not available at press time.

The WhiteWings (17-44) are now losers of nine straight while the Dilas (36-27) are winners of three in a row.

The only run against Allen came in the seventh and final inning when Ryan Fox led off with a triple and Joel Gonzalez sent him home with a sacrifice fly.

Trey Hendricks singled to knock Allen out of the game. Carl Johnson pinch-ran and moved to second when Brian Nichols grounded out against Ralph Roberts.

Anthony Slagle followed with a walk, but David Fowler struck out to end the game.

Allen struck out five, walked one and allowed five hits.

It was Roberts' fifth save.

Wings starting pitcher Jorge Lugo (3-4) was in control for the first five innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out six.
In the sixth, however, Jonathan Reynoso reached on a two-base error. Keith Brachold followed with a bunt single and Gary Schneidmiller hit into a fielder's choice to score Reynoso, making it 1-0 Dillas.

The Dillas added an insurance run in the seventh when A.J. Johnson led off with a single against Toro Treviño. After an Andrew Wong sacrifice bunt, Stephen Douglas was intentionally walked. The runners moved up on a wild pitch. Brian Bueño grounded into a fielder's choice on which Johnson was thrown out at the plate.

On a 2-2 pitch with two outs, Josh Ashton hit an RBI-single to make it 2-0.

Monday was not originally set as a double-header, but Wings officials decided to play two in order to avoid potential problems that might arise because of Tropical Storm Dolly.

The Wings and Dillas will wrap up their three-game series tonight at 7:05 p.m.
Harlingen will then be off until Thursday when they travel to San Angelo for a three-game set.