CARY, N.C. -Team Light Blue jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, using a fifth-inning grand slam by RJ Austin to top Team Gray, 10-3, in the 2021 PDP League on Thursday afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

Team Light Blue scored twice in the second inning before adding Austin’s grand slam in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead. Another homer by Dominic Hellman made it 7-0, before they added three more runs in the sixth to hand Team Gray its second loss of the week.

Austin (1-for-3) and Hellman (2-for-3) led the offense for Team Light Blue, picking up all five of the team’s RBIs, while Gabe Miranda added a hit. Team Gray got hits from Ross Highfill (1-for-1), Jayson Jones (1-for-2), JeanPierre Ortiz (1-for-2), Chris Stanfield (1-for-2), and Mason Swinney (1-for-3).

Joe Allen earned the win for Team Light Blue, pitching two hitless innings and striking out three. Hayden Murphy got the loss for Team Gray after allowing a pair of runs in 2.2 innings of work.

Key Moments

• After Team Light Blue went down in order in the top half of the first inning, Ortiz led off the bottom half with a single. He was caught stealing by Team Light Blue catcher Cannon Peebles, who threw him out trying to take second base in a scoreless first inning.
• Light Blue’s offense rallied with two outs in the top of the second. After Murphy struck out the first two batters, Miranda singled before back-to-back walks by Jacob Reimer and Peebles. Two runs were scored in the inning to give Light Blue a 2-0 lead.
• Team Light Blue starter Jackson Ferris responded with a perfect second inning, recording a pair of strikeouts.
• Matt Scott retired Team Light Blue in order in the top of the third before Team Gray threatened in the bottom of the inning, putting the tying run on base before Allen escaped the jam with a strikeout.
• Reimer nearly added to Team Light Blue’s lead in the fourth, coming to the plate with the bases loaded after a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch. He hit a hard line drive, but Ethan Petry made a leaping catch at third base to keep the game in striking distance.
• In the top of the fifth inning, Jace LaViolette and Anthony Silva both walked before Cole Young was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Austin, who cranked a grand slam to left-center field. Austin’s homer gave Team Light Blue a 6-0 lead.
• Team Light Blue added four more runs in the sixth. Hellman led off the inning with a solo shot to left field, giving his team a 7-0 lead. A trio of walks then loaded the bases, and Team Light Blue scored three more runs to lead 10-0.

Notable Information

• Team Light Blue’s ten runs scored are the most runs by a team in a game so far this week.
• With the result, both teams are now 2-2 through four games at the 2021 PDP League.

On Deck

• Thursday, July 29: Team Red vs. Team Navy (5:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Friday, July 30: Team Light Blue vs. Team Red (1:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Friday, July 30: Team Navy vs. Team Gray (5:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)

Social

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