Mainers Sweep, Clinch Postseason Spot
Sanford beats Keene 6-5, 9-4 in extended doubleheader

Sanford, ME – It was worth the wait. In a game that was suspended Saturday night due to weather and was delayed three and a half hours Sunday night, Corey Hunt singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Mainers defeated Keene 6-5 in game one of an extended doubleheader. In game two, Will Greenberg’s grand slam highlighted the Mainers offense as Sanford completed the sweep of the Swamp Bats 9-4 Sunday night at Goodall Park. The two wins clinched a playoff spot for Sanford, who has now advanced to the NECBL postseason five times in its seven-year history.

In game one, which was started Saturday night in Keene, the Swamp Bats wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first. Evan Chambers led of with a solo blast to left to give Keene an early 1-0 edge. The Swamp Bats would make it 2-0 in the first on an Alex Lee single, plating Danny Petro.

The Mainers struck back for three in the top of the second. Branson Joseph led off with a rope to left for a single, which was followed by a Devin Harris single. Greg Hopkins came to the plate and hit a high, towering fly ball to left, just over the wall for a three-run shot and his first homer of the year. Keene would tie the game up in the bottom half on a Chambers RBI groundout.

Sanford would power themselves to two-run advantage in the third. Anthony D’Alfonso walked with one away to bring up Joseph with a man on. The right-handed hitting center fielder picked on a fastball and drove it deep to center, a no-doubter to give the Mainers a 5-3 lead. Keene would tie it up with solo tallies in both the third and fifth innings on run-scoring singles by Chris Tremblay and Josh Chester.

The Mainers would scratch the go-ahead run in the eighth. Joseph and Devin Harris both singled to leadoff the inning. After a Hopkins sacrifice bunt, Hunt ripped a comebacker off the glove of the pitcher Sean McDermott that ricocheted over to second, allowing Joseph to score the go-ahead run. Ryan Cole was dominant in the final two innings to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Phil Negus started for the Mainers. He gave up five runs in four and two thirds innings. Mark Schmidt came on in relief and got the win, hurling two and a third scoreless frames. Cole struck out four in the eight batters he faced. Swamp Bats’ starter Sean Biermann gave up five runs in seven innings. McDermott was draped with the game one loss.

Keene scored first again in game two. Paul Karmas had a RBI single in the first and Casey McGrew drove in two with a single in the third off of Jason Bowman to give the Swamp Bats a 3-0 lead through three.

Tommy Meagher was breezing through the Mainers’ order until the fifth. Hunt recorded an infield single to start the frame. Brian Harris reached on an error by Meagher. Klint Reed walked setting the table for Greenberg. The Mainers’ backstop came to the plate a deposited a 1-2, hanging breaking ball over the wall in right, a line-drive homer to give Sanford their first lead of the game at 4-3. The longball was Greenberg’s third of the season.

It would stay a 4-3 game until the bottom of the seventh, when the Mainers used some clutch, two-out magic to pad their lead. With two outs and nobody on base, Greenberg and Nandin both walked. Hopkins came in to pinch-hit for D’Alfonso. Hopkins, who homered in game one, hit a screaming line drive down the left field line for a RBI double to make it 5-3. Joseph doubled the Sanford lead with a two-run single on a grounder to right, plating Nandin and Hopkins. Kyle Groth capped off the scoring, smashing a single to center to bring home Joseph and give the Mainers’ an 8-3 cushion. Each team would get a tally in the eighth. A McGrew fielder’s choice plated Danny Petro, and Nandin singled home Brian Harris is the Sanford eighth.

Bowman improved to 5-2 on the summer. The right-hander allowed three runs, one earned, in seven innings of work. He again walked no batters and struck out five. Tony Chisman gave up one run in the final two innings of the ballgame. Meagher allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits, striking out nine in a losing effort.

***Box scores available at necbl.com


Notes…Sanford finished the season series 3-3 against Keene... The Mainers are a season-high 13 games over .500…Bowman has nearly a 12:1 strikeout to walk ratio… The Mainers have a quick turnaround as they host Holyoke in a doubleheader starting at 3:30 on Monday afternoon. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com for both games.