The Chatham Anglers visited Red Mills field on Tuesday and made a statement defeating the YD Red Sox 10-9 in a game that ran late into the early summer night.The Anglers (4-6-1) and Red Sox (5-5-1) poured a combined 19 runs and 30 hits to entertain a sizable crowd. Chatham led 9-3 after three and a half innings but a relentless YD team chipped away at that lead all night to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. However, Chatham regained the lead in the top of the eighth and held on to preserve a hard-fought win.
New addition, Stephen Piscotty from Stanford, put the Red Sox on the board during his first at-bat of the season. On a 1-2 count, Piscotty launched a deep home run to left center field that kick started a YD offense that has struggled as of late. Piscotty went 3-5 on the day while reaching base in four of his five plate appearances, shedding light on a bright future for the newcomer.
The game went downhill for the Red Sox in the top of the third, when starting pitcher, Kyle Hansen, easily recorded the first two outs of the inning. A walk, stolen base, and an error put runners on the corners with two outs. A wild pitch by Hansen scored the go-ahead run for Chatham and then a shaky Hansen loaded the bases with another walk and a hit by pitch. Chatham DH Alex Calbick then singled to drive in two runs as Chatham took a 4-1 lead on three unearned runs for Hansen.
YD was able to get two runs back in the bottom half on the inning when the team threatened with runners on the corners and two outs as well. Second baseman Tyler Hanover singled in a run from third followed by Piscotty reaching on an error that brought in John Adornetto all the way from second to cut the Chatham lead to 4-3. Nonetheless, the Anglers’ bats exploded in the top of the fourth when Joseph Sever and Dane Phillips both jacked out 2-run home runs in a five-hit five-run inning to expand their lead to 9-3.
A persistent YD team would not let their determination be diminished as they chipped away against Chatham pitching all night. Two runs were scored in the bottom of the fourth when three hits to begin the inning and a 2-out single narrowed the gap and an additional two runs were scored in the bottom of the fifth (accumulating to seven hits and four runs in two innings).
The Red Sox tied the game in a wild bottom of the seventh inning. After a leadoff hit by Piscotty and a double play quickly halted any YD threat, a single by Cody Keefer and a base on balls by pinch hitter Mason Katz put runners on first and second with two outs. A double steal caught the Anglers off guard as the catcher overthrew his attempt to catch Katz at second and Keefer was able to score the 8th YD run. Third baseman Matt Reynolds drove in the tying run with his third hit and third RBI of the game before getting picked off first to end the frame.
The YD comeback would not have been possible without strong relief pitching in the late innings. Robert Benincasa pitched a scoreless fifth, sixth, and seven innings to allow the Red Sox to tie up the game and put the pressure on the Anglers.
Unfortunately, pitcher Matt Rush came in during the top of the eighth and after retiring the first two batters of the inning, three consecutive singles by Chatham brought home the winning run, 10-9.
YD Nation held its breath during the bottom of the ninth as the sun had nearly set on the longest day of the year in June. The Red Sox put runners on first and second with one out but their luck had run out as Chatham relief pitcher Zack Jones retired the next two hitters to defend a well deserved win.
The YD Red Sox have dropped four of their last five games but look to get back on track against the Falmouth Commodores Thursday at home.
