Tel Aviv Lightning tames Netanya

Ra'anana Express defeats Petah Tikva Pioneers 4-2, and Beit Shemesh Blue Sox beat Modi'in Miracle 6-4.

By SHLOMO SPRUNG, AARON MAGID
TA lightning 298.88 (photo credit: )
TA lightning 298.88
(photo credit: )
Daniel Kaufman nearly threw a no-hitter, and Raul Franco led the offensive charge as the Tel Aviv Lightning (8-2) tamed the Netanya Tigers (3-5) 5-1 in the IBL at the lid lifter of Sportek Field in Tel Aviv. Kaufman (2-1) had a no-hitter going through six innings, when he gave up a pinch hit home run to Tiger Julio Guerrero, the brother of MLB's recent home run derby champion Vladimir. Kaufman struck out nine over his six plus innings of work. Tel Aviv scored two unearned runs in the second inning off losing pitcher Justin Prinstein (1-2) to take a 2-0 lead. Franco and Matt Brill hit back to back solo home runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Guerrero got the lone Netanya hit with his big fly in the seventh inning, as the Lightning downed the Tigers in Tel Aviv. Express 4, Pioneers 2 The Ra'anana Express defeated the Petah Tikva Pioneers 4-2 at Yarkon Field in Petah Tikva Tuesday night in front of a crowd of just 100 fans. Petah Tikva took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning with a two run double by Dustin Melanson, but after that their offense came to a screeching halt - scoreless for the remainder of the game. Ra'anana provided the fans with much excitement with two home runs to come back from an early deficit. Juan Ramirez blasted a solo home run, putting the Express first on the board. Donnie Mott jr. added his own fireworks with a two run homer lifting his team ahead of Petah Tikvah 3-2. Blue Sox 6, Miracle 4 The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox stayed two games ahead of Tel Aviv with a 6-4 victory over the Modi'in Miracle at Gezer. Modi'in went up 1-0 in the first inning off a homerun from first baseman Aaron Levin. Following that run, however, Bet Shemesh pitcher Jason Benson would settle down and not allow another run until the seventh inning. Benson let the offense take care of the rest as Californian Gregg Raymundo hit a three-run double in the second. Also adding some offense was Australian outfielder Jason Rees who went 2-4 on the night with a two-run homer in the seventh, his league-leading eighth homerun of the season. In the bottom of the seventh Modi'in leftfielder Moko Moanaroa put the Miracle within two runs with a three-run shot, but it was not enough. Art Shamsky's club drops to 5-5 on the season. The loss puts the Miracle five games behind the Blue Sox.