Greenberg, D’Alfonso Power Mainers by Navigators
Eight –run second leads to first win against North Shore this season.

Sanford, ME – Will Greenberg ripped a three-run homer and Anthony D’Alfonso blasted a grand slam in an eight-run Sanford second inning as the Mainers defeated the North Shore Navigators 9-1 Saturday night at Goodall Park. Pat Lehman was solid again on the mound, firing five and a third innings allowing one run en route to his third victory of the season.

Sanford started their scoring in the first. With two outs and nobody on, Brian Harris reached on a hustle double to shallow right-center. Kyle Groth stepped to the plate and lined a single through the right side of the infield, allowing Harris to score.

The Mainers would bust the game open in the second inning, scoring eight times while sending 11 men to the plate. Devin Harris led off with a walk. After a Mike Murray strikeout, Matt Nandin singled. Greenberg stepped to the plate a yanked a 2-2 hanging breaking-ball by starter Mike DiCato into the trees in right field to give Sanford a 4-0 advantage. Steve Brooks restarted the rally with a single to right-center. Corey Hunt recorded a base-hit, and Brian Harris drove in Brooks with a run-scoring single. Groth coaxed a walk after pulling two foul balls deep down the right-field line that had home-run distance. Now with the bases loaded, D’Alfonso pummeled a DiCato fastball over the right-center field wall. The grand slam was the first of the year for the Mainers, who now held a 9-0 advantage. North Shore would get their only offense on a Matt Costello RBI single in the fourth off of Lehman.

Lehman won his third straight start, going five and a third innings and giving up just the one run on five hits. The right-hander struck out a season-high eight batters. The Mainers would use four relievers to close the door on the Navigators. Mark Schmidt retired the only batter he faced in the sixth, and Kyle Davis worked a scoreless inning and a third. Tony Chisman fired a spotless eighth, and Ryan Cole finished it off in the ninth. DiCato dropped to 2-2 on the season for North Shore. The righty allowed nine earned runs in just an inning and a third of work.

***Box scores available at necbl.com

Notes… The Mainers are 1-3 against North Shore this season…The 12 strikeouts by the Mainers’ staff is a team season-high… Sanford is now 14-1 when holding opponents to four runs or less…Attendance Saturday night was 515… The Mainers are off Sunday before hosting the Holyoke Blue Sox on Monday night. First pitch is slated for 6:30. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com