By Lonnie Turner
The McLeod Health Marlins (6-1) sit atop the Minor League standings at the start of the fourth week in Dixie Youth Baseball action, with the Burger King Braves (5-1) nipping at their heels after both teams won in Tuesday action at the Kiwanis facility. The Marlins took a 4-1 win over Lake View in the first game and Burger King kept pace with a 5-1 victory over the Ace Hardware Tigers.
Last Friday’s games, both in the Majors, were rained out between Lake View and the Giants, while the Hurricanes and Yankees sat out the second game. The Giants will not make up the game with Lake View, but the game between the ‘Canes and Yanks will probably be made up near the end of the season. Currently the Hurricanes (4-1) and Yankees (4-1) stand a game ahead of the Giants (3-2).
Minor League Round-up
Monday, April 25
Pepsi Cola 9, Lake View 0
The Blue Jays3-4) took the game by forfeiture over Lake View, 9-0.
Tuesday, April 26
McLeod 4 ,  Lake View 1
The Marlins scored all four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning after Lake View had gone ahead, 1-0 in their half of the inning on a  pair of singles by Trace Lewis and Kason Herlong. Lewis lead off the inning and went to second on a wild pitch before relief pitcher Jamison Hargrove got Luke Price on strikes.  Herlong sent Lewis across the plate with a hit to the right side of the mound. In the bottom of the inning, consecutive walks to Avery Hopkins, Matt Williamson, James Henderson and Ron Bracey tied the game with one out.
Brenden Miles followed with a hit to the fence in left-center to drive in Williamson and Henderson. Miles scored on a ground out to the first baseman.  Hargrove retired Lake View in the top of the fifth with three strikeouts to get the pitching win. Lake View outhit the Marlins with Kason Herlong going 2 for 2, both singles. For the Marlins, Jamison Pittman joined Miles and Ron Bracey with base hits.
Burger King 5,
ACE Hardware 1
The Bves broke up a 0-0 tie with three runs in the third inning with Cody Altman knocking in two runs with a single. Dan Graves was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball  and walks to Brody Cook and Gavin Kelly resulted in the other two runs.
The braves added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning on singles by Cook,  who finished with a 2 for 2 performance at the plate, and Bryce Patterson tripled him home. Ronald Falaniko spoiled a shutout when he singled up the middle to score Jackson Outlar, who had led off the bottom of the inning. Outlar also had the only other hit off Braves pitching with a single in the first.
In the only Major League game of the week so far,  the Hurricanes edged the Giants in Monday’s only game by a 7-6 margin.
The giants staged a 5run comeback in the bottom of the fifth only to have the Hurricanes score the winning run tin the top sixth on singles by D.J. Brogdon and Holden Matthews.  Tripp Roberts hit a grand slam homer to spark a 6-0 first inning lead for the ‘Canes. Matthews also had another hit to go 2-3 at the plate. Chandler Pittman led the Giants with a double and single in three trips to the plate and Brock Mack singles and doubled in three times at bat!