6/5/2013-
By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer

RATON -- The Osos came home Tuesday after a successful road trip, hoping to put together their first two-game win streak. But despite going up early, a big fourth inning by the visiting Fuego was too much for Raton to overcome, and they fell 11-8.

"Started out very well," said Raton manager Ray Hancock. "Willie Frederick pitched great through the first four innings. The ball seemed to find every little divot in the field. Hit a water sprinkler head. Hit a base. Had a couple of little flares that were completely off-the-wall type stuff that you wouldnt expect. They got five runs in the fourth, which hurt us, of course. Just couldnt catch up."

But before that, the Osos went up 5-0.

They scored one run of Santa Fe starter Kevin Camacho in the first when Stedman Smith walked, stole second and came home on a Matt Lynch single. The home squad had its biggest inning in the secind, putting up four runs.

Nicholas Hinojo singled, Frederick walked then Travis Fuquay hit a 2 RBI single followed by a Smith RBI single. The final run came in on a fly ball to center.

Santa Fes big inning came in the fourth with one out.

Larry Rodriguez walked; Evan Mansil, Anthony Welsh and Camacho each singled; then Charlie Calamia hit into a fielders choice, making it 5-3 Raton; then Bryson Sims singled and Josh Barnett doubled to knot the game at 5-5.

The Fuego took a lead they wouldnt relinquish in the sixth when Calamia reached on an error and scored on a Josh Barnett single. Barnett came home on singles by Kyle Zimmerman and Rodriguez.

Santa Fe added a solo run in the seventh when Camacho singled and scored on a swild pitch, Bryson Sims single and error. But the Osos closed the gap to 8-7 in the bottom of the inning, putting up two runs when Michael Lange and Lynch were both hit; A.J. Doyle singled to score Lange and Louie Saenz singled in Lynch.

The Fuego added a pair of runs in the eighth off Steve Taft when Zimmerman walked, Rodriguez singled and they came home on a wild pitch and put out; and got an insurance run in the ninth on a Sims double and Maxwell single.

Raton didnt go quietly, but just couldnt overcome the gap, scoring when Saenz hit a two-out single, Hinojo walked and Ryan Barban hit an RBI single.

Hancock did not seem unhappy with his teams play.

"(Santa Fe) played baseball, bottom line," he said. "We played baseball, too. We just got beat tonight. They came to play a little more than we did, as far as Im concerned, but we did play ball tonight."

Hinojo led the Osos offensively, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Saenz was 3-for-5 with one run and RBI and Fuquay 2-for-5 with a run. The Fuego out-hit Raton 18-11, led by Sims and Barnett, both 3-for-6; Rodriguez, 3-for-5; Welsh and Zimmerman 2-for-5; Maxwell 2-for-6; and winning pitcher Camacho 2-for-4 with one run and RBI.

The teams will be back in action Wednesday at Gabriele Field with a 7 p.m. start.