RED SOX PICK UP MUCH NEEDED WIN AGAINST RIVAL CHATHAM
Consistent production from the YD Red Sox (15-17-4) offense coupled with a poor performance by Chatham Anglers (13-22-1) pitching allowed the Red Sox to claim a much needed win, 10-3, over the Anglers, who had been discretely creeping up on the Sox in fourth place. YD was 1-4 against the Anglers this season before entering Saturday’s match up at Red Wilson field but ended the night with a solid win under their belt.
Led by the hot hitting of James Ramsey and Matt Reynolds, the Red Sox found success in their at-bats via a hit or a walk. The Sox were able to bring in men in scoring position all evening thanks to a two-run home run by Ramsey (1-3, BB, 3 RBIs) in the fourth inning and the streaking bat of Reynolds (3-4, 3 RBIs) who is batting .700 in the last two games (7 for 10). All starters, except for two, had a hit in the game and all batters in the game, except one, reached base.
Alex Gonzalez started on the mound for the Red Sox throwing 5 2/3 innings while allowing just one run on four hits to pick up his second win of the season. James Lomangino pitched two full innings of relief but ran into some trouble in the eighth inning allowing a couple runs. But it wasn’t enough for Chatham to worry the Red Sox as Robert Benincasa and Stephen Piscotty combined to shut down the Angler bats in the final 1 1/3 innings.
Chatham climbed out to an early lead in the top of the first inning after a one out walk to Alex Calbick, a single by Richie Shaffer, and another walk to Dane Phillips loaded the bases. Joe Sever then followed with a single that drove in Calbick to take the 1-0 lead. The first was the only truly shaky inning for Gonzalez who settled down to allow only six base runners in the next five full innings.
YD responded immediately to the Chatham attack as shortstop Chris Taylor and left fielder Cody Keefer began the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back singles (Keefer’s a successful hit-and-run to place runners on the corners). Ramsey then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Taylor from third, one of four sacrifice flies for the Red Sox on the evening. After Mason Katz flew out to deep center, Brian Johnson reached on an error by the third baseman to place runners on the corners again but with two outs. Reynolds picked up one of his three RBIs with a single up the middle to drive in Keefer and give YD the lead 2-1.
The Red Sox picked up another run in the third inning after a Johnson double put Katz, who was on base, at third. Katz crossed home plate thanks to another sacrifice fly this time by Reynolds.
The fourth inning featured Jacob Lamb smashing a leadoff double and being driven in from third on a Taylor sacrifice fly to center field. After Keefer singled with one out, Ramsey launched his sixth home run of the year into the trees in right center field to break the game open and give YD the 6-1 lead. It was Ramsey’s second home run in the last two games and places him in a tie for the league lead in home runs with Cotuit’s Victor Roache and Orleans’ Ben Waldrip.
The fifth inning turned ugly for Chatham pitching as a leadoff walk to Johnson and a single by Reynolds put two runners on. After a wild pitch moved them over a base and Tyler Hanover walked to load the bases, Jacob Lamb was hit by the first pitch he saw to bring in the seventh Red Sox run. The second wild pitch by Angler reliever Jeff Gibbs brought in another run followed by yet an additional walk to catcher Bennett Pickar to reload the bases. Cody Keefer hit a sacrifice fly (the fourth of the game) to bring in the ninth YD run and the final one of the inning.
A Reynolds solo home run in the seventh inning scored the final YD run of the game and extended the Red Sox lead to 10-1.
Chatham tacked on a couple runs in the top of the eighth but it was not nearly enough to even the score. A convincing win over a team they have struggled against, the Chatham Anglers, was just what the doctor had ordered for the Red Sox.
The team will look to heat up further against the Harwich Mariners on Sunday at Whitehouse Field. First pitch is at 5:30 PM.
--Ben Stepansky
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