Posted by FIUFan on 3/27/2005, 8:54 am http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/colleges/fiu/11241133.htm During his four seasons at Florida International, Dennis Diaz has been hounding opponents with his wily baserunning instincts. Saturday afternoon at University Park, Diaz's legs earned the Miami Beach High graduate a spot in the record books. But it was his bat that delivered the decisive blow in FIU's 5-2 victory against Arkansas State. FIU (20-8, 2-0 in the Sun Belt Conference) sprinted to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, stealing four bases including home plate. Diaz led off with a single to right off Indians starter Taylor Fowler and promptly stole second base to become the Sun Belt's all-time stolen base leader with 126, passing South Alabama's Tyrone Dixon and Virginia Commonwealth's Billy Webster. Diaz stole his 127th career base and scored the game's first run on a Nick Cadena groundout. FIU first baseman Michael Lopez, who drew a walk, stole second and moved to third on a groundout, dashed for home for FIU's fourth steal of the inning when the deliberate Fowler went to the windup. Arkansas State (17-8, 0-2) tied the game at 2 in the fourth on a two-run home run from Geoff Desmond. But this would be Diaz's day when the FIU center fielder belted a Fowler hanging curveball for a two-run home run in the fifth, left of the scoreboard in left field, to push FIU ahead 4-2. ''It's a great honor to be mentioned as one of the top base stealers,'' said Diaz, who was 2 for 4 with two RBI. ``But more importantly, I achieved the record while we won the game.'' The Golden Panthers' much maligned bullpen (4.35 ERA) provided a boost when newly converted sidewinder Frank Gonzalez retired 12 consecutive Indians in four innings to notch his first career save. ''Ever since [former FIU pitching coach Mark] Calvi told me to go to a sidearm motion and develop a change last season, I developed more confidence out there,'' said Gonzalez, who has not allowed an earned run in eight of 12 games this season.
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Dennis Diaz has broken the Sun Belt career stolen base record, this season he's aiming for Juan Pierre's single season record. Here's the link to the article and the article itself:
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