Mainers Dropped By Navigators 8-4
Will conclude three-game roadie Monday night at Lowell

Lynn, MA – Nick Cenatiempo fired six solid innings for the Sanford Mainers, but for the third time in five days, the Mainers fall to the North Shore Navigators. 8-4 was the final Sunday night at Fraser Field. North Shore took a 3-2 lead on a Ryan McCrann RBI single in the sixth and added five insurance runs in the eighth off of reliever Ryan Lapointe. Sanford would get two sacrifice flies in the ninth by MarK Micowski and Brian Harris, but fell short for the second straight night.

The Mainers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first. Back-to-back singles by Mark Micowski and Brian Harris started the inning. After a couple of strikeouts and with runners now on second and third, Kyle Groth poked an opposite field single to left to score Micowski. Harris also tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate.

Each team would trade one-run blows over the next few innings. North Shore would tie the game on a RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Nick Belcher. Sanford would regain the lead in the top half of the fifth. With one out and runners on first and second, Brian Harris hit a slow chopper to short. The Navigators got the lead runner at second base, but Tyler Kuel’s return throw sailed over the head of first baseman McCrann, allowing Will Greenberg to score all the way from second on the play. North Shore would tie it right back up on an unconventional way in their half of the fifth. With Sean McNaughton at first, Cenatiempo fired wildly to first and McNaughton galloped around second, trying to advance all the way to third. Groth’s return throw to third bounced passed Greg Hopkins, and McNaughton came in to score.

Cenatiempo picked up the tough-luck loss. He lasted six frames and gave up three runs, two earned on six hits. The righty walked three and struck out six. Lapointe pitched the final two innings for Sanford and allowed five runs, all coming in the eighth. Wayde Kitchens got a no-decision for the Navigators. He went five innings, giving up two runs on six hits. Jason Markowitz earned the win for the Navigators in an inning and a third of relief. Chris Kowalski notched the save in two and two-thirds innings of work.

***Box scores available at necbl.com

Notes… Attendance tonight at Fraser Field was 69… The Mainers have committed 12 errors in their three losses to North Shore… The Mainers conclude a three-game road trip Monday night to Lowell. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com