CLOVIS WHEAT KING LUIS GONZALEZ HITS FOR THE CYCLE

For Immediate Release
April 24th, 2001

The Mohawk Valley Rangers continued their early season dominance over the Clovis Wheat Kings with a 6-5 victory Friday night at 3COM Park.  But Wheat King left fielder, Luis Gonzalez, powered the San Francisco offense by driving in 2 of the 5 runs and hitting for the cycle.  Gonzalez racked up 10 bases, even got a standing ovation when he came up to bat late in the game, when the feat had already been accomplished.   He then Struck out.   Gonzalez now batting .309 on the year was happy about hitting for the cycle but was disappointed in the 6-5 loss to Mohawk Valley.   “We’re not supposed to be losing to the weaker teams in the National League.
(10-13) For the Rangers, is not the start that manager Lee Welch was hoping for.   The struggles for the Rangers comes down to just playing good sound fundamental baseball, and were just not exciting at this time”.
Clovis tried to play catch up all evening.  Down two – nothing in the bottom of the first Clovis scratched back to making it 2-2, but then went down again by a run in the sixth.  With Gonzalez at bat, his solo shot tied the game at 3.   Mohawk jumped back up in the 7th, and the Wheat kings tied it in the bottom of the ninth on a two out single by Gonzalez.  Unfortunately Clovis couldn’t play catch up all night, and when the Rangers took the lead in the top of the eleventh it was for good.   Gonzalez came up with no one on, and down by a run in the eleventh, and struck out.  The crowd at 3 Com Park, stood and gave him a standing ovation, even after his failure to produce when the game was on the line.   The win went to Justin Speier (1-2), and the loss fell to Lorenzo Barcelo (0-1).