CHATHAM’S LATE INNING HEROICS EARN WIN OVER YD
The YD Red Sox (6-6-2) and the Chatham Anglers (5-6-2) put on a great show Sunday night as the Red Sox could not quell a late Angler surge and Chatham took the game 6-5.
Joey Denato started on the mound for the Red Sox entering the game with a record of 1-0 and a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings of work. However, Denato looked shaky from the start with a walk and a balk in the first inning and surrendering two early Chatham runs in the second.
The Anglers were electric early on in this game. A leadoff home run by the designated hitter, Sean Reilly, his second of the year, to left field scored the first Chatham run. Third baseman Kris Bryant then followed in suit, launching a deep fly ball to left field. Red Sox left fielder, Isaac Ballou, retreated back to the outfield fence and nearly made the catch on a ball that almost left the park. Bryant resorted to a triple and was soon after driven in by a double by Chatham catcher Dane Phillips. The next man walked, but Denato got the next three batters (one on a batter’s interference call) to end the tough inning.
YD got those two runs back and more in the following frame. After a quick two outs, the Red Sox offense went to work. A single by Pedroia-like second baseman Tyler Hanover, a walk by Ramsey, and a hit by pitch by Piscotty loaded the bases. The energy level on the field skyrocketed after the Chatham manager, John Schiffner, was tossed from the game arguing the hit by pitch call on Piscotty. The pitch came in and was difficult to decipher whether the ball hit the bat or his hand. The call on the field was a hit by pitch, but Schiffner disagreed and subsequently was thrown out.
While the charade by the Chatham manager energized his team and the Angler fans in a split crowd of Angler and Red Sox fans, it was not enough for his team to escape the inning unscathed. Jeremy Lamb unleashed a bases loaded, two-out double to tie the game 2-2. Then designated hitter Matt Reynolds singled home two more runs as YD took a 4-2 lead. Cody Keefer followed with another single, but Reynolds was caught taking a wide turn around third and was tagged out to end the inning.
Chatham got one run back in the bottom of the fourth, which was quickly countered when YD grabbed one back in the top of the fifth. Mason Katz, who replaced Stephen Piscotty at first base, drove a deep ball to left field with one runner on. The ball looked like it might leave the park but rather dropped back onto the field. Katz was thrown out at home trying to stretch his triple into an inside-the-park home run.
Red Sox relief pitcher A.J. Vanegas held the Chatham Anglers scoreless into the seventh inning before being taken out. In his 3 1/3 innings of work, Vanegas recorded seven strikeouts and only two hits but did surrender five walks.
The Red Sox loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with one out, yet a failed suicide squeeze bunt by Mike O’Neill had Lamb tagged out by the catcher and Derrick Chung caught in between first and second. Chatham was able to escape the eighth inning jam through an unconventional 2-3 double play.
Chatham cut the YD lead to one after a run was walked in during the bottom of the eighth. So YD entered the bottom of the ninth having to record three outs to gain their seventh win of the season.
Unfortunately, a walk and a double put two runners on. It was then elected to intentionally walk the next batter to load the bases and hope for a double play ball or at least a ground ball to get the force at home. Closer Matt Carasiti came in and got the second out of the inning, but a single to right field by Chatham second baseman Joe Sever scored the tying and winning runs as Chatham won the game 6-5.
If YD can begin to eliminate their tendency of giving up late inning runs, the wins will come. This has been a glaring problem in the past week as the team leads most of their games but surrender runs in the seventh inning and later. The Red Sox play the Falmouth Commodores at home on Monday in a makeup game and look to get back on track.
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