David Francis Hurls a No-Hitter for Danville Braves in 1-0 Win Over the Pulaski Mariners

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com –

July 22, 2008 - DANVILLE, VA- In one of the most spectacular and dominant
pitching performances in D-Braves history, Braves' pitcher David Francis
struck out 16 batters in a rain-shortened no-hitter on Tuesday night
against the Pulaski Mariners in a 1-0 Danville victory. Francis pitched
6.0 innings and struck out 16 batters in the game, the most by a Braves'
pitcher since after the 2000 season. Pitcher Matthew Small threw an
official third of an inning into the seventh for the save before heavy
precipitation ended the contest.

Francis' 16 K's is the most strikeouts in a game by a Braves pitcher since
Aug. 24, 2001, when Braves' starter Matt Merricks struck out 15 batters in
a game vs. the Pulaski Rangers. Francis' 16 strikeouts are also the most
by a Braves pitcher since after the 1999-2000 season.

Working at a determined and tedious pace all evening, Francis wasted
little time in attacking the Mariner hitters. As if he had any choice.
With an ugly overcast that casted a shadow over American Legion Post 325
Field, the cancellation almost looked inevitable since the start of the
first pitch.

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But Francis, pitching in his third start for Danville, was determined not
to let Mother Nature show him up. Boy, did he ever show her.

With pinpoint accuracy on his fastball and a knee-buckling curveball,
Francis looked in absolute control-in every aspect of the word-since the
minute he toed the robber. He fanned the side in the first, third, fourth
and sixth innings. In the fourth, the 20-year-old right hander actually
struck out four Pulaski batters because Juan Fuentes reached first after
missing a wild pitch. Francis struck out every member of the Pulaski
roster at least once.

Francis, a native of Mississauga, ONT and a collegiate product of Walters
State Community College (TN), improves to 3-1 on the season and lowers his
ERA to 1.52.  Braves' reliever Matthew Small picked up his third save of
the season after forcing a Jose Rivero groundout. The game would be
delayed immediately following the groundout due to inclement weather and
was called after an approximate 58-minute rain delay.


Danville (20-12) would score the only run of the game in the third inning.
Secondbaseman Joel Campusano led off the frame with a walk and advanced to
third base on a single up the middle by Shayne Moody. Campusano would
cross the plate on a wild pitch by Pulaski starter Brooks Mohr.

Danville outhit Pulaski 7-0 on the night.

With the win, Danville pulls within 2.5 games of the Mariners. They will
head out on Wed. to play the Bluefield Orioles. Danville will return back
to Dan Daniel Memorial Park on Sat. for a six-game homestand, beginning
with the Johnson City Cardinals.

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