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By Jordan Georgeson

The Lincoln Potters beat the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox on Thursday night to take home their third straight win and their fifth in the last six games. The Potters wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, putting up two runs in the first inning and then another in the second to pull out to an early 3-0 lead. The Gold Sox responded well however, putting up two of their own in the second before tying the game in the third and eventually taking the lead in the fourth 4-3. The Potters struggled to get anything going until the seventh inning, where they put up a six spot on the scoreboard before adding an insurance run in the eighth to hang on for a 10-4 victory. With this win the Potters improve to 16-15 on the season and 7-0 against the rival Gold Sox.

Lincoln’s runs came in waves on Thursday, with eight of their ten runs scored coming in just two innings. Jason Brandow kicked off the scoring for the Potters, with a two-RBI double that brought home Trevor Haskins and Daniel Susac in the first inning. Chase Stanke added another as he led off the second inning with a towering blast to right field for both his first hit and first home run as a Potter. The Potters struggled with the Gold Sox pitching for most of the middle innings, but picked it up with a big late inning surge. Quinton Hall tied the game up with a big single down the right field line before Daniel Susac brought a run home to give the Potters a 5-4 lead in the seventh. Garret Forrester then cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple to extend the Potters lead even further. Jake Sapien brought two more home with a single and the Potters were out to a 9-4 lead. Jason Brandow added another RBI to his total when he brought home Quinton Hall for an insurance run in the eighth. The Potters scored ten runs on twelve hits in the contest. 

The Potter bullpen was once again dominant in the game, not giving up a single run for the second game in a row. Logan Bell entered the game in the fifth inning and pitched two innings in relief, only giving up two hits while striking out five. Jojo Villareal took over in the seventh and went one and a third innings, giving up just one hit in his outing. Villareal struck out three batters. Angel Cespedes entered with two outs in the eighth inning and finished the game, striking out four of the five batters he faced and giving up no hits as well. The Potters’ bullpen has given up just one run in the last three games.

“The big thing we’ve been eliminating is the walks. These guys have been throwing strikeouts up on the board all year but these last few games we’ve been preaching to the guys that we’ve got to eliminate the walks.” said pitching coach Jesse Garcia about his bullpen’s recent success. “When you eliminate the walks, good things are going to happen.”

The Potters are back in action tonight as the Novato Knicks come to Lincoln for a three-game Fourth of July weekend series. First pitch for all three games will be at 6:05pm. Watch the Potters live on Facebook and listen on Potters Radio via the mixlr app. Also follow along on twitter @LincolnPotters to get live updates!

You can find tonight’s box score here.