by Warren Kozireski
Brockport High grad, Andy Parrino, stroked a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning to help Team USA overcome a 4-1 deficit and defeat Canada 6-5 in the Pan American Games baseball semi-finals played in Toronto. The win gave Team USA a berth in the championship game where they lost to Canada 7-6.
Parrino entered the first of six preliminary games as a pinch runner late before earning the start at shortstop for the second game. He hit a two-run first inning home run to stake Team USA to an early lead in their 5-2 win over Cuba.
He was the only USA player to garner two hits along with two stolen bases in the third preliminary round game – a 5-3 win over Columbia – and added one hit, one RBI and one run scored in each of two consecutive wins over the Dominican Republic (a home run) and Canada.
Overall, he was 9-25 for a .360 batting average (third on the team), tied for second with five runs scored and tied for third with five RBI’s.
The former San Diego Padres prospect was traded to Oakland three years ago and has split this season between the majors (17 games) and their Triple A affiliate in Nashville (44 games).
Parrino, who turns 30 years old on Halloween, played three years of Division I baseball at LeMoyne College in Syracuse before being drafted by San Diego and turning pro in 2007. He has played in 131 major league games during his career.
