By Brian Argabright
Jose Borrego had a day to remember for the Del Rio Rams.
Borrego smashed a pair of two-run home runs and earned a complete game win as the Rams knocked off the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs, 13-6, Friday night at The Bank & Trust Ram Field.
It’s the Rams’ second district win of the season and was a huge turnaround from Del Rio’s last game when they lost to Laredo Nixon, 10-0.
Alexander got on the board first with three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Rams got two of those runs back on a towering home run to left field by Borrego that also plated Alex Rodriguez.
After a scoreless second inning, the runs returned for both teams in the third inning.
Alexander scored three runs on a bases-loaded double by Ciro Benavides. However, Alexander would manage only three more hits for the remainder of the game as Borrego settled into a groove and got some key defensive plays from his teammates including a double play in the fifth and a Josh Adams to Sebastian Patiño strike that picked off an Alexander player trying to swipe third base.
As for Del Rio’s offense, that returned in the bottom of the third.
The Rams scored five runs off four hits and a pair of Alexander errors to take a 7-6 lead. Two of the runs came off a double by Rodriguez while two other runs came off a costly dropped ball by the Alexander centerfielder.
After batting around in the third inning, the Rams did it again in the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four more runs to build their lead to 11-6.
Will Cooper’s double off the left field brought in one run. Adams followed with a single to right field to drive in another. After a walk to Carlos Arredondo, Ricky Limon singled to right to drive in the third run of the inning. Rodriguez brought home the Rams’ fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Borrego capped the scoring in the top of the sixth with his second big blast, which looked eerily similar to his first inning big fly. The home run also brought home Matt Mendez and made the final 13-6.
The Rams had 16 hits in the game. Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a sacrifice and a run scored. Mendez walked and was hit by a pitch and scored once. Borrego finished 2-for-5 with two home runs, a walk, 4 RBIs and two runs scored. Patiño was 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Johnny Flores was 1-for-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch and scored once. Cooper was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Adams was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Arredondo was 2-for-2 with two walks. Limon was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Mario Soto scored twice as a courtesy runner and Ryan Madera, Aiden Natividad and Jacob Cowen each scored once as runners.
Del Rio travels to Laredo Tuesday to face United South at the SAC at 7 p.m.
The Rams’ next home game will be Thursday, April 1, when they host Eagle Pass at 7 p.m. at The Bank & Trust Ram Field.
