RED SOX SLAUGHTER HARBOR HAWKS IN IMPRESSIVE STYLE, 12-3
Whenever doubt begins to creep in on the YD Red Sox (13-16-3) rollercoaster of a season the team seems to notice and respond with a striking performance. Following a dismal three game losing streak, the Red Sox crushed the Western Division leading Hyannis Harbor Hawks (19-12) 12-3 on Sunday evening at Red Wilson Field. A YD offense that had been held to 16 straight scoreless innings earlier in the week erupted to bring a surge of confidence back to the team and its fans.
The Red Sox excelled at all levels yesterday, slapping around 17 hits for 12 runs while YD pitching held the Harbor Hawks to just 3 runs on 6 hits. Every Red Sox starter had a hit in the game and the first six batters in the order recorded a multi-hit game, including shortstop Chris Taylor (2 2Bs, 1B) and catcher Mike Zunino (3 1Bs) who each had three hits and two RBIs.
Another stand out performance on the day came from third baseman Stephen Piscotty who went 2-4 with a walk on the day. Piscotty notched four RBIs to place himself second on the team with 13 RBIs, just one behind Mason Katz’s team leading 14. Piscotty went deep in the bottom of the sixth inning launching a ball high over the right center field wall to bring in three runs, extend the YD lead, and continue to demoralize a depleted Hyannis team.
Jack Armstrong started on the mound for the Red Sox and threw five innings allowing three runs on four hits while striking out seven. Armstrong pitched well enough to pick up his first win of the season. His lone mistake was a three-run blast by Joey Demichele in the top of the third inning that gave the Harbor Hawks their only runs of the game. Armstrong was able to escape a few jams thanks to a couple timely double plays and strikeout pitching (he struck out the side in his final inning of work).
The Red Sox were able to get to Hyannis’ starting ace Dylan Floro (4-0, 1.32 ERA, 26 K’s) early in the game as he only last 1 2/3 innings, leaving in the bottom of the second after surrendering four earned runs.
Three consecutive singles by Piscotty, Katz, and Zunino began the second inning and brought home the first YD run. After the first out was recorded, second baseman Tyler Hanover battled during his at-bat and laced a double down the left field line to bring in the second run of the inning. Right fielder Mike O’Neill singled on the first pitch he saw to drive in the third run and a James Ramsey ground out scored the fourth and final run of the inning.
Demichele’s home run in the third cut the Red Sox lead to 4-3 but after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the third and squandering the opportunity, the Sox took full advantage of their superior hitting in the fourth. A leadoff single by Ramsey was followed by a Taylor double that scored Ramsey from first. After Taylor stole third base, a Piscotty ground out with one out, scored Taylor. Now with two outs, a Katz single and a steal of second allowed him to score on Zunino’s third single of the game and extend the Red Sox lead to 7-3.
YD scored three more runs in the sixth off the Piscotty home run to continue the onslaught, 10-3, and a couple more runs were scored in the top of the seventh due to the excellent hitting displayed by the top of the order. Like the Twilight Zone, Ramsey singled with two outs in the seventh and was driven in by a Taylor double (his second of the game). Brian Johnson followed in suit with a double to score Taylor and bring the YD lead to 12-3.
The Red Sox relief pitching was also superb behind the lights out arms of Matt Reckling, Joe Rogers, and Robert Benincasa who combined to throw four innings of shut out baseball.
The Red Sox get an off day on Monday and look to continue their hot hitting against the second-place Bourne Braves (18-11-2) on Tuesday at home. First pitch at 5:00 PM.
