Lehman Takes No-no into 8th, Mainers Walk-off in 9th
Defeat Mountaineers 4-3

Sanford, Me – Pat Lehman fired 7.1 innings of no-hit ball, but in the end it was the ninth inning drama that stole the show as the Sanford Mainers used a game-ending bases loaded walk to defeat the Vermont Mountaineers 4-3 Friday night at Goodall Park.

After Michael Nesbitt broke a 2-2 tie with a solo homer in the top of the ninth, the Mainers went to work in the bottom half, trailing for the first time on the night. Devin Harris, who hit a two-run homer in the first, struck out against reliever Dusty Odenbach to lead off the frame but reached on a dropped third strike. Branson Joseph was asked to lay down a sacrifice bunt and did, but ended up on base himself with an infield single. Pinch-hitter Mark Micowski followed that up with a bunt single of his own to load the bases with nobody out. Kevin Reimer came in to pinch-hit and coaxed a bases loaded walk to knot the game at three. After an A.J Casario fielders choice, Klint Reed took a 3-2 fastball just off the plate to bring home Joseph and end the game for the Mainers.

With the Mainers leading 2-0 after the Harris homer, Lehman completely overmatched the Mountaineer bats. He only allowed two baserunners and gave up no hits in the first 7.1 innings. With one out now in the eighth, Lehman walked Jonathan Hurst. Nick Panzarella then ended Lehman’s no-hit bid with a single to right. Jonathan Roof hit a grounder to short, but Brian Harris overthrew Will Greenberg at first allowing Hurst to score, also signaling the end of the night for Lehman. Vermont would tie the game on a sacrifice fly by Steven Felix, plating Panzarella and setting up the drama in the ninth.

Lehman’s final line included 7.1 innings pitched, two runs but none earned on one hit and seven strikeouts. Tony Chisman earned his second win in three appearances. He retired both batters he faced in the ninth. Josh Syberg fired seven solid innings for Vermont. The lefty allowed two runs on four hits and didn’t walk a batter. Odenbach was draped with the loss for the Mountaineers.