Saturday, July 5, 2007

ByBob Molta, Silkworms Sports Information Department

FOR SILKWORMS, EARLY LEAD EVAPORATES IN 8-4 SETBACK

SteepleCats erase three-run deficit to record NECBL Southern Division win

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. –  The odds are better than even that in just under a month,  the Manchester  Silkworms will be opening up in the NECBL Southern Division  playoff semifinals.

The odds of them reaching that point in convincing fashion are considerable lower, however.

Saturday night, the Silkworms (9-12) gave away a three-run lead in the middle innings for the third straight game and dropped an 8-4 divisional decision to the North Adams SteepleCats (8-13) before a crowd of 372 at Joe Wolfe Field.

With an opportunity to open up a three-game lead over their closest divisional rival, the Silkworms faltered in the middle innings, as North Adams scored seven of its runs in its last four at-bats to wipe out an early 3-1 deficit.

It marked the third time this week that Manchester has played a game lasting more than three hours, the 3 hour and 21 minute contest equaling the longest game of the season for the Silkworms. Nine walks, nearly as many coach-pitcher conferences,  and four pitching changes contributed to the length of the game, which was played in a heavy fog over the last couple of innings.

As the 42-game regular season moves beyond the halfway point Sunday, Manchester clings tentatively to the fourth and final Southern Division playoff spot. The margin over fifth-place North Adams stands at just one game. And with cellar-dwelling  Danbury all but out of contention already – and third-place Torrington expected to engage Newport and Pittsfield in a bid for the regular-season title , the Silkworms and their northern Massachusetts neighbors figure to wage a head-to-head battle for the right to open the playoffs against the division’s No. 1 seed.

Saturday, Manchester couldn’t protect a 4-1 lead heading into the fifth. The SteepleCats got two back in the bottom of the fifth on two hits, an error, walk, stolen base and sacrifice fly, chasing Manchester right-handed starter Nick Noblit (Westfield, MA/American International) in the process. With two out and no one on base, North Adams gained the equalizer and go-ahead runs in its next at-bat, the big blow a bases-loaded two-run double by No. 3 hitter Kevin Carby. The double – one of five in the game for the winners -- was the only hit of the inning, however, as a walk and consecutive hit batters loaded the bases for Carby, who remains perfect this season (4-for-4) with the bases full.

The Silkworms did not go quietly in their final three at-bats, but could not break through against relievers Tim Norton and Deyton Marze. In the seventh, Michael Gallic (Tolland, CT/Marist) drew an opening walk, but was cut down trying to steal second. With Manchester trailing 6-4 in the eighth, two walks and an infield single loaded the bases with two out, but Marze was summoned from the bullpen and fanned dangerous A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, NJ/Seton Hall). Marze walked two batters in the ninth, but his third strikeout of the evening ended the game.

With two one-run wins to its credit over North Adams this season, Manchester tried putting this game away early by scoring four times in the second to move out to a 4-1 lead. Singles from Sean O’Hara (Gloucester, MA/Harvard), Chris Affinito (East Brunswick, NJ/Seton Hall), and Gallic, two hit batters, a balk, and an infield error produced the runs. Joe Cotter (Bryn Mawr, PA/Villanova), Rusbarsky and Gallic  all drove in runs in the inning.

JD Broderick (Carmel, NY/West Virginia State) , returning to the lineup after missing five games with injury, matched his season total with three hits (including his first extra-base hit) but was the only Manchester batter with more than one. While the game marked the return of Broderick, it signaled an early exit for Affinito, who was replaced by Jeff Cammans (Jamestown, RI/Rhode Island) at first base after injuring his ankle chasing down a fifth-inning foul ball.

Five Manchester pitchers combined to throw 166 pitches, walk nine batters and hit two. Only once did they retire the side in order, and that was only made possible by a double play which was begun by Rusbarsky. Rusbarsky, who has commited only three errors all season at shortstop, handled nine chances flawlessly, collecting seven assists.

The game marked the pitching debut of righty Andrew Janiga (Ellington, CT/Trinity), who was signed this past week to replace college teammate Jeremiah Bayer, who was deactivated due to a tired arm. With two runners aboard, Janiga retired the only batter he faced, getting the right-handed cleanup hitter Paul Hoilman to fly out to right for the first out of the fifth.

Manchester visits Danbury Sunday at 7 p.m. in a makeup of a game which was washed out two weeks ago. Righty Tyler Hyde (Kennesaw, GA/Middle Tennessee) is expected to make his fifth start in search of his first win. Hyde is 0-1 with a staff-best 1.14 ERA.

North Adams 8, Manchester 4

Manchester (9-12)       040      000      000      --         4          7          2

North Adams (8-13)    100      022      12x      --         8          8          2

Nick Noblit, Andrew Janiga (5), Jordan Wolfe (5), Ryan McGrath (6), Brendan Otto (8) and Mike Bourdon. Matt Sommo, Tim Norton (7), Deyton Marze (8) and Sean Parker. WP-Sommo (1-2). LP-Wolfe (0-2). Save-Marze (1). 2B-JD Broderick (M), John Malloy, T.J. Greig, Kevin Carby, Paul Hoilman, Cody Stanley (N).