Falcons send out statement of intent by downing champions

Joel Vallejo hit his first home run in a Herts jersey. Picture: Paul Holdrick (Image: Archant)

The win came in the first game of a double-header on Sunday, with the second going to Essex.

It was the manner of the first win that has Herts optimistic of mounting a championship charge.

With winning pitcher Jose Sosa giving up just 10 hits in seven innings of work, the Falcons drove in 11 ninth-inning runs to take the game away from Essex.

Maikel Azcuy had three hits over the two games - two doubles and a single - so he will have to wait a bit longer for his record-breaking 36th NBL career home run. While the focus was on Azcuy, two other Herts players are starting to add some real power to the line-up.

Edwin Alcantara blasted a homer against his former team. Picture: Paul Holdrick (Image: Archant)

In the first game Joel Vallejo hit a towering home run which went over 400 feet. In the second game, Edwin Alcantara went deep with a home run of his own and had a total of three hits over the two games.

The Falcons are now second in the NBL standings, one game behind the London Mets who remain the only unbeaten team in the league after their two wins against the South London Pirates. Next for the Falcons is a home game against the revamped Pirates who are proving to be a major player in the play-off race. The game starts at 12pm at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

In the Triple-A League, the Herts Eagles suffered two heart-breaking losses against the Oxford Kings. Their next game is away at the Essex Redbacks where they will need to win to stay with the rest of the playoff-chasing pack.

In the Single-A League, the Herts Hawks are still unbeaten after they won their fourth game of the season away at the Forest Glade Redbacks. Ken Pike and Ilya Dimitrov hit a home run each in that game.