MAINERS IMPLODE IN NINTH, DUKES GET FIRST VICTORY OF SEASON

SANFORD – Four walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch and an error allowed the Pittsfield Dukes to score five runs on only one hit in the top of the ninth inning to rally from a 4-1 deficit and defeat the Sanford Mainers 6-4 in NECBL play at Goodall Park on Saturday night. Yadiel Lanzo struck out all three Mainers (6-8) he faced in the bottom of the ninth to nail down the victory for Pittsfield (1-11).

The Dukes opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Pittsfield starting pitcher Alex Hassan helped himself by working a walk out of the lead-off spot. Two batters later he moved to third on a single to right-center field by Nelson Gomez and later came in to score when Jim MacDonald reached on a fielder’s choice.

The Mainers would answer right back with a run of their own in the home half of the first inning. Brian Kemp (St. John’s/East Rockaway, N.Y.) led off the inning with a walk and then stole second, his first of two steals on the evening. Kemp would come in to score on an RBI single up the middle by Tyler Stovall (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio).

The score would remain tied 1-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Sanford would strike for three runs. Bubba Ruddy (Cypress CC/Orange, Calif.) led off with a double to left-center field and was lifted for pinch-runner Cody Allen (Central Michigan/Coleman, Mich.). Allen would move to third on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Gedman (Le Moyne/Framingham, Mass.) and come in to score on an RBI single to left-field by Kyle Meyer (Marist/Renssalaer, N.Y.) to give Sanford a 2-1 lead. Meyer moved to second on a walk to Kemp and then Jeff Grantham (St. John’s/Randolph, N.J.) loaded the bases and extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an infield single behind the bag at second. Stovall followed and picked up his second RBI of the game by working a bases-loaded walk. Kemp would come in to score and give the Mainers a 4-1 lead when Max Most (Marist/Port Washington, N.Y.) reached on a fielding error by Dukes second baseman Phil Cerreto.

Pittsfield would rally for their first victory of the season with five runs in the top of the ninth inning against Eric Katzman (Michigan/Harrington Park, N.J.) and Gedman. Jeff Lienick led off the inning with a single through the left side and went to third as back-to-back walks to Paul Heidler and Matthew Zablan loaded the bases with nobody in. Gedman then came into the game to try to earn his second save of the season, but hit the first batter he faced, Adam Tempesta, to drive in a run and cut the lead to 4-2. After a wild pitch brought in Heidler, Gedman issued an intentional walk to load the bases again. Chester Wilson followed with an RBI single through the left side to score Zablan and tie the game 4-4. Gomez would come in to score and give the Dukes the lead when third baseman Scott Guillerault (Wheaton/South Portland, Maine) made an errant throw to the plate. Two batters later, Tony DiCesare grounded out to second base but picked up an RBI in the process as Wilson came in to score.

Richie Armento (St. John’s/Bayside, N.Y.) started and received no decision for the Mainers on the hill. Over 6.2 innings, he gave up one run on three hits, walked seven and struck out six. Gedman took the loss (1-1) in relief for Sanford. Over one inning, he surrendered two unearned runs on one hit, walked two (both intentional) and hit a batter.