FOUR RUN FIFTH BREAKS TIE AND HANDS RED SOX WIN IN SHORTENED GAME
With two games left in the regular season and all Eastern Division playoff spots secure, there wasn’t much the YD Red Sox (19-20-4) could do to alter their seeding for a playoff run. This was not the mentality the Red Sox played with against their division foe, the Harwich Mariners (23-19-1), on Tuesday evening at Red Wilson Field. The offense looked crisp as the playoffs neared, scoring seven runs on nine hits on their way to a 7-3 victory over the Mariners in a rain-shortened game.
The Red Sox are set to play whichever team is placed before them in the first round of the playoffs, be it the Harwich Mariners or the surging Orleans Firebirds. After yesterday’s game, the Sox would be happy to travel to Harwich for the first game of the series on Friday.
Players that had been quiet most of the year are beginning to make a name for themselves, including pitcher/designated hitter Brian Johnson and recent starting catcher Derrick Chung. The two players combined to drive in five of the seven runs in the game by utilizing crucial hitting with runners in scoring position.
The glaring weakness of the Red Sox all season has been their pitching, primarily the starting pitching. In order to make a deep run into the playoffs the Sox must come through with runners in scoring position in order to score as many runs as possible. We have seen the offense at its best against powerhouse teams such as Orleans (a 15-8 win on July 11) and Hyannis (a 12-3 victory on July 17). With strong at-bats from key hitters such as James Ramsey, Stephen Piscotty, and Chris Taylor and efficient pitching the Sox are bound to make some noise in the playoffs.
As for Tuesday’s game, however, the Mariners put a run up on the board first in the top of the second thanks to an Alex Swim two-out single followed by an Austin Nola double to right center. The Red Sox quickly stole the lead in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff walk by Matt Wessinger and a single by Anthony Melchionda placed runners on first and second with no outs, Mike O’Neill sacrificed both runners over with a bunt. Defensive catching guru Derrick Chung stepped to the plate and slapped a double to shallow center field to score both runners and give YD the early 2-1 lead.
Chung would move to third on a wild pitch when Chris Taylor hit a foul pop up just outside the Harwich dugout on the first base line. Realizing the first baseman, who caught the foul pop, was distracted by the umpire’s call that the ball was in-play, Chung used his good base running skills to tag up from third and score to stretch the YD lead to 3-1.
The Mariners tied the score in the top of the third when the first two runners of the inning reached base. Darnell Sweeney then knocked a single to the left center gap to score the second Harwich run. Relief pitcher Andrew Thurman entered to replace starter A.J. Vanegas and promptly caught Sweeney in a run down between first and second base. The quick-footed Ronnie Richardson, who had been standing on third base, broke for home but not before a throw from Wessinger beat him to the plate. Later in the inning, a John Wooten single would drive in Sweeney from second to tie the score.
The 3-3 tie stood until the bottom of the fifth inning when Chris Taylor began the frame with a hard hit double to left field. With one out, James Ramsey walked as Taylor stole third base and scored on a throwing error by the Harwich catcher. Mason Katz followed with an infield single to put two runners on with one out. The recently slumping Brian Johnson strolled to the plate due for a big hit. As if on cue, Johnson launched a 2-2 pitch deep into the trees in right field for a 3-run home run, his second of the year. His slam broke the game open, giving YD the 7-3 lead.
The Mariners threatened with two base runners in each of the next two innings but could not beat the incoming rain as a delay halted the game in the bottom of the seventh. After waiting out the weather, a lightning storm ended the game for good as the Red Sox notched another win under their belt.
The Red Sox play their last regular season game tomorrow, Wednesday, at Harwich. First pitch is at 7 PM.
--Ben Stepansky
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