"Marks & Merchants Go Out On Top"

The East Side Merchants (11-23, 6-14, 0-2) ended their season the way it began, with a victory. It was the first time the Merchants had won since dating back to July 22nd at Dunning Stadium against Joe & Stan's. The win snaps a season-long losing streak of six consecutive ballgames including two Saint Paul League Playoff Games. On Sunday the Merchants employed a new set of younger players as they continue to build towards the future. New and in uniform making their respective Merchant debut's during the matinée' were new starting 3rd Basemen Luke Larson (Bloomington Jefferson), new starting left fielder Robby Zunicka (St. Paul Harding) and new starting 2nd Basemen Tim Johnson (St. Paul Harding). The Merchants, and the visiting Rockers were entrenched in a nothing-nothing tie through six full innings. The only player who reached base via hit at that point was catcher Pat Casey who accounted for a 1-out single in the 1st inning. But in the seventh Luke Larson led off with a walk and later stole second base (The Merchants fifth stolen base of the contest). With 1-out Rob Zunicka lined a single to left field scoring Larson from second and putting the Merchants up by one. The Rockers came back to tie the contest in the latter half of the inning but Deryk Marks led off the eighth with his second walk in as many at bats then proceeded to steal both second and third base before scoring on Brian Olson's long sacrifice fly to deep left field. Olson then relieved Marks after seven plus innings of work and turned in a solid save performance closing the final two innings in style. The win gives the Merchants their 11th of the 2008 season and Deryk Marks his third respective victory of the 2008 season while Olson picks up his first save since the summer of '07.

Date: August 10, 2008     Time: 2:00pm      Venue: McGuire Field    Game #: 34