Sunday, June 29, 2007

ByBob Molta, Silkworms Sports Information Staff

SILKWORMS RALLY TWICE FOR 6-3 WIN, HALT FIVE-GAME SKID

        In first of three straight games against Twisters, Manchester limits them to six hits

TORRINGTON –  What this six-hit pitching performances lacked in efficiency, it made up for in timeliness.

Sunday night, four Manchester  pitchers combined on one of the most atypical six-hitters in franchise history, and the Silkworms came from behind twice to snap five-game overall and road losing streaks in a 6-3 NECBL Southern Division win over the Torrington Twisters before a reported crowd numbering 911 at Fuessenich Park.

This rare victory over Torrington (7-8) at Fuessenich gives Manchester (7-9) the upper hand in a unique three games-in-three-days series with the Twisters, with the next two games scheduled to be played at Northwest Park Monday and Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

Manchester’s prospects of snapping five-game overall and road losing streak did not appear promising through the early innings, but the Silkies erased 1-0 and 3-1 deficits by scoring the final five runs of the game and holding the uncharacteristically light-hitting Twisters (.189 team batting average entering the game) scoreless over the final seven innings.

Normally difficult to beat at Fuessenich, Torrington dips to 4-5 at its home park, with the Silkworms avenging somewhat two shutout losses here that kicked off a five-game road losing streak.

For the record, four Manchester pitchers combined on the untidy six-hitter that returns the Silkworms to the winning side of the ledger for the first time since a 4-0 conquest of inter-divisional rival Keene nine days ago. Interspersed within the six-hitter, however, were a franchise-record five hit batters and  six walks that made the outcome a not-so-foregone conclusion until the three-run eighth.

Walks and hit batters proved to be contagious, however, and played a large role in allowing Manchester to wipe out the one-run deficit after one inning and a 3-1 hole after three.

Each team commited only one error. Manchester’s came on an errant pickoff attempt and accounted for an unearned Torrington run in the first. Torrington’s error proved much more costly, allowing the Silworms to score twice in the fourth one one hit, three walks, and the error and tie the game at 3-3. With two out and no one on, Manchester scored the tying runs when No. 8 hitter Mike Bourdon (Simsbury, CT/Fairfield) ripped a first-pitch two-run single that scored Sean O’Hara (Gloucester, MA/Harvard) and Jeff Cammans (Jamestown, RI/Rhode Island). Both runners scored after walking.

With right reliever JJ Potrikus (North Syracuse, NY/Cortland) keeping the Twisters at bay, Manchester snapped the 3-3 tie by scoring three runs on just one hit in the eighth off left-handed reliever Alex Valadja (0-1). Valadja, who retired Manchester in order in his first inning in the seventh, was completely ineffective in his second inning of work. Valadja walked three batters and hit another in that eighth inning. O’Hara scored the go-ahead run after drawing a one-out walk. After doubling to left, Cammans scored the second run when No. 9 hitter J.P. Polchinski (Jamestown, NC/Army) was hit with a pitch with the bases loaded. A.J. Rusbarsky’s (Freehold, NJ/Seton Hall) sacrifice fly played Michael Gallic (Tolland, CT/Marist) with the final run.

Potrikus gained his first decision in his seventh relief appearance. Potrikus sandwiched 1-2-3 innings around an eighth inning where Torrington brought the tying run to the plate. With runners on first and second, however, Potrikus escaped unscathed when Bourdon, the catcher, gloved a towering foul ball while falling to the ground for the final out.

Manchester Silkworms 6, Torrington Twisters 3

Manchester (7-9)                     010      200      030      --         6          8          1

Torrington (7-8)                       120      000      000      --         3          6          1

James Kukucka, Ryan McGrath (2), Jordan Wolfe (5), JJ Potrikus (7) and Mike Bourdon. Andrew Triggs, Alex Valadja (7) and Andrwe Rocco. WP-Potrikus (1-0). LP-Valadja (0-1). 2B-Jeff Cammans (M), Chase Austin (T).