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Phillies Pour It On Royals

BAGWELL’S PERRY HOMERS IN RETURN FROM INJURY

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Bagwell’s Tyrone Perry is congratulated on his way around the bases after smacking a solo home run in the third inning of Tuesday’s Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) game at Durrah Martin Sports Complex.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: May 21, 2008

AVON PARK – It may have been just three games, but for Tyrone Perry, they were the toughest three games of the season.

"I missed the game a lot," said Perry, who'd missed his team's last three games due to an ankle injury. "It was tough not being able to play, but I'm glad I'm back on the field tonight."

Perry picked up where he'd left off: He crushed his league-leading sixth home run and played solid defense in his first game back, as the Bagwell Bomber Phillies defeated the Laye's Tires, Inc. Royals 16-6 in five innings in Tuesday's Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) game at Durrah Martin Sports Complex.

The two-way star for the Phillies was ecstatic after rounding the bases and crossing home plate to the congratulations of his teammates after connecting on a first-pitch fastball that was launched over the centerfield fence.

"It felt sweet to get a hold of one tonight," Perry said. "This was the first time I've been down due to injury. When I was out, I just kept thinking about coming back.
"I kept testing my ankle more than I should have."

The Phillies scored nine runs in the final two innings on heads-up baserunning to take advantage of wild pitches and advance players into scoring position and put the game out of reach.

The Royals, who won their first game of the season on Monday, hung with the undefeated Phillies early, as Kyle Thompson scored two runs to help keep his team to within two early on.

But Perry's homer and Trey Perry scored on a pair of errors to put the Phillies up 7-3 after three and up by seven after four on runs by Norris Gordon, Javionne Flore and Deondre Gatlin to put some distance between them and the Royals.

Thompson's run-scoring double into left in the fourthlooked to ignite a rally, but a close play at third went against the Royals and put a key out on the board.

Control problems on the mound began to plague the Phillies, as the Royals loaded the bases with two outs on walks by Devon Painter, Dillon Whitman and Stephen Waldron, but Matt Devlin got a huge strike out to end the inning.

But the story of the game was Tyrone Perry's return to the place he loves the most – the ball field.
"I didn't think I'd miss it this much," Perry said. "But it's good to be back."

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