Y-D: 4, Harwich: 3

GONZALEZ GOES 5 1/3 TO LEAD RED SOX TO EIGHTH WIN OF SEASON

The YD Red Sox (8-8-2) hosted the Harwich Mariners (10-7) at Red Mills Field on the first day of the month in July in front of this season’s largest crowd, an estimated 4100 spectators. The Red Sox defeated the Mariners 4-3 in a game full of excitement as the post-game fireworks festivities energized the players and the crowd alike.

Alex Gonzalez started on the mound for YD coming into the game with an 0-1 record despite his impressive 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings of work this season. Gonzalez dazzled the crowd through 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five Mariners. The lone run allowed came in the top of the second inning when Harwich center fielder Ronnie Richardson blasted his first home run of the year over the left center field wall to give Harwich their first and only lead of the game.

The Red Sox stole a run back in the bottom half of the same inning when shortstop Matt Wessinger lead off the inning with a double and was followed by a hit by pitch on Cody Keefer to put two runners on with no outs. After a failed sacrifice bunt attempt claimed the first out of the inning, catcher Derrick Chung blooped a single to right field to load the bases. Leadoff man and third baseman Matt Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly to score Wessinger and tie the game at one.

Despite leaving nine men on base through the first six innings, YD was able to scrape together enough runs to evade the Mariners who sit atop the Eastern Division, three points in front of the Brewster Whitecaps and only two points ahead of the Red Sox.

YD broke open a lead in the bottom of the third inning thanks to four hits and a couple blunders by the Mariner defense. Ramsey lead off the inning with a single and reached second on a throwing error by the left fielder. Cleanup hitter and first baseman Mason Katz doubled Ramsey home to give YD a 2-1 lead and acquire his 9th RBI on the year (which places him second on the team behind Reynolds’ 10 RBIs). Katz has four doubles in the past three games, hitting at least one in all of them.

The scoring continued for the Red Sox in the bottom of the third when DH Stephen Piscotty, who returned from injury, singled in Katz from second base. Then, after a fielder’s choice, Keefer singled in Piscotty from second to extend YD’s lead to 4-1.

Harwich cut that lead down to one run in the top of the seventh inning, even without getting a base hit. A leadoff hit by pitch to Harwich lead off man Jacoby Jones and a subsequent stolen base placed him at second with no outs. After retiring the next two batters, YD relief pitching ran into some trouble. A base on balls and the second hit by pitch of the inning loaded the bases for the Mariners with two outs.
The second Harwich run scored via the fourth free base runner of the inning, another base on balls and the Mariners brought the score to 4-3 by scoring their third run on a wild pitch.

Mariners relief man Andrew Leenhouts was able to keep his team in the game, throwing four shut out innings of relief and scattering three hits. Ultimately, however, it was not enough as new closer Kyle Hansen convincingly shut the door on the Mariners with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out two looking.
The YD Red Sox grabbed their second win in the last three games to bring their record back to .500 and move into third place in the Eastern Division despite having one more point than the second-place Whitecaps. The Red Sox continue their 4th of July weekend away against the Falmouth Commodores on Saturday.