Monday, July 7, 2008

By Don Leypoldt, Silkworms Sports Information Department

BRIAN’S SONG: WORMS LOSE WALK-OFF HEARTBREAK

Newport, RI- Ryan Wiegand hit a one out, walk-off pinch hit single in the ninth inning tonight, scoring Jet Butler.  That tells the entire story of Newport’s 1-0 win over Manchester tonight.

And it doesn’t even begin totell the story.

On a baseball diamond just amile from where the ghosts of the Robber Barons, and of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and of history can still be felt, the Manchester Silkworms seemed tohave a rendezvous with more recent history.

There was a feeling that Manchester had played this game before.  Maybe it was on June 16th,when despite holding Gull batters to five hits, Manchester fell in a 2-1 heartbreaker.  Maybe it was on June 26th against North Shore when despite allowing just four base runners in seven innings, thatevening’s and tonight’s starter BrianPendergast (Unionville, CT/Manhattan) took one of the toughest 2-0 losses you’ll ever see.   It was if those two contests met and had offspring tonight, with Pendergast pitching another “are you kidding me?” game and Manchester losing another heartbreaker at Newport.

Pendergast was outstanding for his third straightstart, all of which have been on the road. He faced the minimum through his first 13 batters as he and Gull starter Kevin Moran posted matching goose eggs through seven.  The Manhattan Jasper has very good command o fhis pitches, can throw offspeed pitches in fastball counts and vice versa.  Pendergast relies on his defense more so than other Silkworm starters, yet he helped himself out by picking off Gull catcher Mike Melillo to end the first and starting a nifty 1-6-3 double play to end thethird.  The Silkworm “D”, which had averaged almost two errors per game in their first 17 contests, had committed just four in their last five.  They chosea nice time to peak. 

In a game during which he allowed just six baserunners in 8.1 innings, Pendergast repeatedly extinguished anything approaching a rally.  After opening the seventh by nicking center fielder Kyle Rhoad, he struck out Melillo and forced the next two batters to make outs. When Newport had a one out single in the eighth, Pendergast forced a 5-4-3 double play.

While the city of Newport may be known fori ts sea, Moran- who was no slouch either- got it done on land.  After DHMatt Grosso’s (Marlborough, CT/Notre Dame) first inning single, Moran retired the next 11 Silkworms in a row, 10 of which came on ground balls.  First baseman J.D. Broderick (Carmel,NY/ West Virginia State)broke the streak with his seventh hit in his last 10 at bats; he would subsequently be erased on a double play. Moran scattered just three hits in his 7.1 inning outing.  His replacement, Jared Prince, gave up a ninth inning single to Grosso, but the Silkies’ leading hitter was left stranded at the hot corner as Prince recorded two punch outs when he desperately needed them.

After walking pinch hitter Butler to lead off the ninth- Pendergast’s only walk ofthe evening- Butlertook second on second baseman Taylor Meehan’s sacrifice.  Wiegand greeted reliever Mike Anarumo (Levittown, NY/LeMoyne) with a first pitch RBI single that he hit solidly to left center. 

This was the second game ofthe day for Newport; they had beaten Keene 9-4 earlier in an unconventional,weather-mandated makeup day/night doubleheader. Newport came into the game in first place, but just 2 games ahead of fourth-place Manchester. 

The Silkworms’ next home game is tomorrow, Tuesday July 8th when they end their current four game road trip to turn around and host these same Gulls.  First pitch is 7:00 p.m.  Northwest Park is located off of Tolland Turnpike.

Coming into Tonight: In his starts, Brian Pendergast has a 1.89 ERA and has walked just four in 19 innings--- J.J. Potrikus has allowed no runs and just four base runners in his last five innings--- Mike Anarumo has been perfect in his last three outings--- Nick Noblit has a 2.30 ERA in his last 15.2 innings--- After a rocky start, Jordan Wolfe has a 2.70 ERA in his last four outings.  Other Notes: Former Silkworm starter and major league alumnus Zach Jackson, who had been with the triple-A Nashville Sounds, was one of four Milwaukee Brewer prospects traded to Clevelandfor C.C. Sabathia today.