Tuesday, June 24, 2007

Homerun in Ninth Sinks Silkworms

by Cam D’Auria and Paul Ofria/Silkworm Sports Information Dept

MANCHESTER –  Sanford’s Steve Brooks hit solo homerun in the top of the ninth to break a 3-3 tie, giving the Mainers a come from behind, 4-3 victory over the Silkworms Tuesday night at Northwest Park.

Manchester built a 3-0 lead after five innings, but Sanford (8-5) pushed across single runs in each of the final four innings, tying the score in the eighth and taking its first lead of the evening in the ninth.

“This one hurts,” Silkworm manager Al Leyva said. “We had the lead. However you look at it, they stole one away from us or we gave it away, either way, it’s the same result. We lost. It’s tough.”

Manchester (6-6) received a gritty outing from starter Tyler Hyde who gave up just one hit – a one-out double in the first inning. The 6’5” right hander left with a 3-1 lead with two out in the sixth after walking five and striking out one. Hyde threw 92 pitches and retired nine straight at one point while the final 17 batters he faced went hitless.

“He pitched a great game,” Leyva said of Hyde, who saw ERA drop to 1.53 over 17 2/3 innings. Hyde has given up just eight hits and three earned runs over three starts but has walked 15 while striking out 12.

The Mainers went 21 batters between hits and scored its four runs on just five hits.

After three scoreless innings, the Silkworms scored on a double steal in the fourth.  Sean O’Hara walked and went to third on Mike Bourdon’s single. Both runners took off with J. P. Polchinski at the plate and O’Hara scored when shortstop Corey Hunt’s throw sailed over catcher Will Greenberg’s head.

A two-run, infield single up the middle with two outs by DH Chris Affinito gave the Silkworms a 3-0 lead in the fifth. Manchester also had a runner cut down at the plate on a fielder’s choice in the inning.

Kyle Davis came in from the Sanford bullpen in relief of starter Mike Wilson (4 2/3 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs) and quieted the already quiet (.211 on the season) Silkworm bats. Davis struck out four and walked one without allowing a hit in 2 2/3 innings. Tony Chisman (3-1) pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to pick up the win.

Five Silkworm pitchers gave up a total of nine walks, contributing to the lengthy 3:20 game played in front of a healthy midweek crowd of 512. “Anyone I brought in today seemed like they couldn’t find the strike zone,” Leyva said.

Brooks hit a 2-1 pitch from closer Brandon Otto that cleared the fence just under the scoreboard in left center for his first home run of the season. Otto was called in from the bullpen with one on and nobody out in the eighth and allowed the runner he inherited from J. J. Potrikus, who walked the only batter he faced, to score.

“If you are going to get beat, you’re going to get beat with your closer,” Leyva said. “It’s a battle right there and this time they won.”

A.J. Rusbarsky, the only Silkworm batter with two hits, had a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth, but was left stranded at first. Manchester committed four errors and nearly survived the nine walks before the homerun did them in.

“We’re still 6-6 and that’s a good position to be in right now,” Leyva said.

Game Notes: With the Monday rainout, Tuesday’s game became the back end of a home and home sweep by the Mainers they  beat the Silkworms 8-1 Sunday night at Goodall Park….Sanford’s second and third innings ended on the base paths – the second with a 1-3-6 pickoff and the third with a caught stealing, 2-6. Catcher mike Bourdon also caught a runner trying to steal in the ninth…Makeup dates: The June 14th rainout against North Adams has been rescheduled to July 21st at Northwest Park while Monday’s rainout will be played in Danbury on July 6th. Manchester is off on Wednesday before embarking on a string of 18 straight days with games scheduled and 23 games scheduled over the next 24 days, ending with the All-Star game in Torrington on July 20