Overcoming 16-run deficit for Mariners affiliate LumberKings was family affair
May 8, 2014, 7:11 AM | Updated: 9:03 am
By Larry Gifford
A minor league team of the Seattle Mariners really rallied Wednesday, coming back from a 16-run deficit to win in the Class A Midwest League.
The LumberKings, based in Iowa, were having a rough night as they trailed the Burlington Bees 17-1 after five innings.
The crowd of 558 began heading for the exits when something happened in the sixth inning: The LumberKings rallied for six runs.
Still down 17-7, Robinson Cano’s cousin, a right fielder on the team named Burt Reynolds, hit a home run in the eighth inning as part of another five-run rally.
In the ninth inning, another rally, this time for five more to tie it up at 17-17.
Justin Seager, the younger brother of Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager, drove in the go-ahead run in the 12th. Seager finished with four hits.
The LumberKings ran out of pitchers so they sent infielder Lonnie Kauppila to the mound and he delivered a 1-2-3 inning and is officially awarded the save.
The final score: 20-17, LumberKings.
Burlington is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.
The Associated Press and MyNorthwest.com’s Alyssa Kleven contributed to this report.
