Santa Fe Fuego Rally Past Tucson Saguaros 8-5

June 16 2021 The Santa Fe Fuego defeated the Tucson Saguaros 8-5 at Fort Marcy Park. Santa Fe collected 13 hits and scored twice in each of the first two innings before adding single runs in the fifth and three more in the eighth. Tucson finished with five runs and five hits, scoring once in the second, three times in the fourth and once in the eighth.

Gabe Wurtz led Tucson with two hits, three RBI and two home runs, while Kendon Strachan added a home run and three RBI. The Saguaros also received one hit apiece from Christopher Harper, Danny Kerr and Christian Naccari. Santa Fe’s Ben Tingen went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, and Ryan Bernardy and Harrison Moore each had two hits. Moore scored once, drove in a run and homered, while Jared Gay also hit a home run and finished with an RBI.

Kelvan Pilot earned the win for Santa Fe after allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three over 1.2 scoreless innings. Matthew Sanchez struck out six over 5.1 innings but was charged with five runs, and Sean Jackson allowed one run in two innings. Tucson starter Duncan Snider worked five innings, allowing nine hits and five earned runs while striking out eight. Sam Hillyer took the loss after surrendering two runs in two innings, and Pat Clare gave up one run in one inning.

Santa Fe held the lead throughout after its early two-inning burst. Tucson’s three-run fourth cut the deficit, but the Fuego answered with a run in the fifth and pulled away with a three-run eighth before limiting the Saguaros to one final run.