by Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Texas Rangers 5, Chicago White Sox 4

The 2008 Area Code Games started with the nation's top players in the Midwest Region (White Sox) facing an elite group of players from the state of Texas and Louisiana. Right off the bat, White Sox pitcher Ian Krol (Nequa Valley, Naperville, Ill.) struck out the side in the top of the first inning. Over two innings Krol impressed, as he fanned five and gave up one unearned run.

With one out in the top of the second, the Rangers' Colton Cain (Waxahachie, Texas) came through with a RBI single that drove in Randal Grichuk (Lamar Consolidated, Rosenberg, Texas).

The White Sox answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning on a fielder's choice after a hit and run single by Shelby Miller (Brownwood, Texas) put Slade Heathcott (Texas, Texarkana, Texas) on third base. The bats for the White came alive again in the bottom of the third as Josh Sheffert (Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln, Neb.) drove in a run with a stand-up double.

The White Sox then took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as the two-run frame was highlighted by a two-out infield single by Luke Maile (Covington Catholic, Crestview Hills, Ky.) that drove in Justin O'Connor (Cowan, Muncie, In.).

The White Sox were in control of this game until the top of the seventh inning when the Rangers' Jake Miller (Stratford, Houston, Texas) scored on a RBI double by Jonathan Walsh (Coppell, Texas). The Rangers stranded a runner in scoring position in that inning, but got it right back and them some in the top of the eighth as the ChiSox pitchers could not hold onto the lead.

The rally started with two out and runners on the corners. Michael Hillard (Cy-Woods, Cypress, Texas) legged out an infield hit, that caromed off the glove of Chicago's second baseman, and scored Todd Glaesmann (Midway, Waco, Texas). Cain then came through with the game-winning hit, as he stroked a stand-up double into the left centerfield gap that cleared the bases.

The Rangers' Josh Turley, a southpaw who similar to Heathcott hails from Texas High in Texarkana, sealed the deal. He pitched the final two innings for the victors. He kept the Chicago hitters off-balance and struck out five batters while being credited for the win.


Cincinnati Reds 1, Washington Nationals 0

Both starting pitchers set the tone in the nine-inning night capper, as seven Cincinnati Reds pitchers combined for a no-hitter.

Nationals' hurler Matthew Boyd (Eastside Catholic, Mercer Island, Wash.), a southpaw, threw first and he gave up zero hits, runs and walks. He also struck out three of the six batters he faced. The Reds' Tom Lemke (Northwest Christian, Phoenix, Ariz.) was just as impressive, facing only one batter over the minimum while fanning three and giving up zero hits in two innings of work.

The Reds' second hurler, Michael Dedrick (Canyon View, Cedar City, Utah) also got the job done. He did allow two walks, but he did not allow a hit among the eight batters he faced. The Nationals kept pace with the live arm of Jeffrey Ames (Skyview, Vancouver, Wash.). The righty allowed one hit, but did strike out three batters in the two frames he pitched.

After five and a half innings the game remained scoreless and only one hit had been allowed by Ames, a harmless double by Kirby Pellant (Corona del Sol, Chandler, Ariz.). The Reds' Bryce Harper, a 6-foot-3 195-pound 2011 prospect from Las Vegas High School, changed all that with one swing of the bat.

Nearly every player in attendance can play at a high level so the scouts and media at Area Code use caution when singing the praises of any particular player. With Harper, however, it's hard not to talk about his potential. His frame defies logic for a 15-year old and the ball simply jumps off his bat.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the left-handed Harper hit a shot off the right field wall that was hit with such ferocity that it caromed back towards the infield. Harper can also run well, and ended up with a stand-up triple. Jacob Stewart (Rocky Mountain, Fort Collins, Colo.) then drove in the game-winning run, as Harper scored on a groundout to the shortstop with one out.

The Nationals had their chances to get on the board, but in the top of the seventh inning Bobby Joe Tannehill (Kentlake, Auburn, Wash.) struck out with two runners in scoring position to end the threat. Righty A.J. Carman (Judge Memorial, Bountiful, Utah) came in to close out the no-hitter for the Reds and he got the job done, as the Nationals' batters could only come up with three comeback grounders in their last go around.

All seven of the Reds' pitchers impressed and Casey Upperman (Notre Dame, Phoenix, Ariz.) was credited with the victory.