Morgan Mickan scored the winning run and walked three times in Y-D?s 4-3 victory over Harwich Saturday.
By: Andrew Constant / @andrew_constant
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (24-17) used a three-run seventh inning to knock off the Harwich Mariners (25-15-1) 4-3 Saturday night at Whitehouse Field. With the victory, their fifth straight, the Red Sox moved to within a game and a half of first place in the Eastern Division with three games left to play in the regular season.
Matt McGovern got the pivotal inning started for Y-D with a walk off CK Irby (2-4), but was erased by a fielder?s choice grounded into by Josh Tobias one batter later. After Wayne Taylor flied out to left, Carlos Asuaje doubled to deep right field, chasing Tobias around from first base and cutting the lead to 3-2.
Morgan Mickan walked for the third time in the game, putting runners on first and second with two outs for the newly added Danny Diekroger. The infielder from Stanford, added to the Y-D roster last week, singled to left, bringing Asuaje in from second and tying the game at three.
Like he?s done all summer long, Y-D manager Scott Pickler rolled the dice on the base paths, executing a double steal with Diekroger stealing second and as Harwich catcher Wes VanBoom threw to second base, Mickan bolted for the plate, beating a return throw and giving the Red Sox the lead for good.
Preston Hatcher pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Red Sox to earn his first win of the summer. Bryan Verbitsky nailed it down in the eighth and ninth for his third save.
The Red Sox got on the board in the fifth inning without registering a base hit. Sean Dwyer was hit by a pitch leading off the frame and moved to second when Taylor walked. Robby Campbell sacrificed both runners up a base with a well-placed bunt before Mickan walked. But with Alex Blandino at the plate, the inning got odder, as Dwyer came across the dish when Vladimir Camacho balked.
Y-D returns home to take on the Orleans Firebirds 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Alex Gonzalez, who was masterful in his last start on July 30 against Brewster, is scheduled to take the hill for the Red Sox.
