Sox Start `06 with a Sweep

WASHINGTON, DC--Murphy's Green Sox are now 2-0 after an Opening Day sweep of the Front Page Grays. Powered by pitching and a couple of big innings, the Sox took two on an overcast day at Banneker.

New acquistition Brian Coyne made the adjustment from Cavalier Red to Murphy's Green, opening the season with a leadoff double down the line and later scoring on a Carlos Soto sacrifice. The Sox's big inning in Game 1 was a 4-run 2nd, highlighted by a telepathic suicide squeeze in which Carney brought home Pauson.

The Grays tried to creep back, tightening things up to 5-2 before Ryan Lim in the top of the 7th scored the insurance run with a nasty slide into home after a Paulson bouncer to first base.

On the hill, Opening Day Ace Jim "Money Man" Hayes held the Grays to 1 earned run over 3 innings. Steve White relieved, and over 4 innings walked none, surrendered 1 hit, no runs, and struck out 5. In the 7th inning, with one out, Coyne made a diving stop at third, and made a perfect throw to first for the defensive play of the day.

Although game 2 also started with a Coyne single, after that it was a different story. Cory McEntee cruised for 4 shutout innings, striking out 7. Meanwhile the Sox piled it on, first with a 2-out, 2-run, 2-strike, 2nd-inning double to right by Steve White, and then with a long bottom of the 3rd, ending that inning ahead 9-0. In relief, Scout surrendered no walks and one hit over two innings. Former Green Sox pitcher Kyle Paulson came in and finished off the Grays, capping a rare Green Sox shutout.

The 2-0 Green Sox will face the A's Thursday night at Wheaton.