By: Corey Burns
The thunderstorms were approaching and bombs were away early at Red Wilson Sunday evening when the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox returned home to rock the Chatham Anglers 12-2.
The Red Sox were powered early by three home runs. A solo shot in the first by Robert Pehl, his third of the season, gave them the early lead. Justin Shafer followed up with a two-run home run of his own in the second inning. Alex Blandino added to the offensive attack with a three-run bomb in the third giving the Red Sox a 6-0 lead.
It was important for the Red Sox and Blandino, who was 2-4 with a double and a 3-run home run, to get their runs early, ?We knew the rain was coming in around six or seven o?clock, and we knew we had to put up runs early. We had a scouting report on the lefty today, he was going to come with the change up. I had a 2-0 count, I was sitting on the change-up, and he left one up.?
Alex Gonzalez started for Y-D tossing four innings allowing three hits, three strikeouts, and two runs. Gonzalez did not return after a 40-minute delay due to weather, therefore did not qualify for the win. Anthony Montefusco took over after the delay, he did not allow a hit, had a strikeout, and got the victory.
Jimmy Litchfield took the mound for the visiting Anglers, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk, to get the loss. Litchfield lasted just 2.1 innings before being relieved by Dace Kime.
John Martinez drove in the Anglers only two runs on a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning off of Gonzalez.
Before Kime could get back on the mound for the home half of the fourth, the weather put the game on pause.
?We actually saw their coach telling their players to delay the game so we couldn?t get in the five innings, we tried to keep the game moving as quickly as we could,? said Blandino, ?it?s always tough coming back after sitting for a while. You?ve really got to be mentally focused and focus on getting a good pitch to hit and staying loose.?
The Red Sox offense got going again in the fifth tacking on five more runs against three Anglers pitchers. Sam Travis led off the inning with a walk followed by a Blandino double. Mason Katz singled to left to drive in Travis.
Michael Fagan relieved Kime with no outs and men on the corners. Katz stole second, and Zak Blair walked to load the bases. Justin Shafer came to plate and walked as well, to drive in Blandino from third.
After two walks by Fagan, Ryan Atwood became the third pitcher of the inning for the Anglers. Wayne Taylor singled to score Katz and Blair. Tanner Mathis followed with a fielder?s choice that advanced Shafer to third. Before Atwood struck out Robert Pehl to end the inning, a wild pitch allowed Shafer to score for the 11-2 lead after five.
Y-D added on more run in the bottom of the sixth, when the bases were loaded, pinch hitter Sean Dwyer was hit by a pitch to drive in Sam Travis.
In the top of the seventh, Joey Denato made his first appearance pitching for Y-D this season. He had a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout that ended the game due to darkness after the weather delay earlier in the game.
After dropping the first two meetings to Chatham, both 9-2 losses, Blandino explain a big key to the victory, ?I think our 7-8-9 guys were on base 11 of 12 times tonight. So any time the bottom of the order is getting on base like that the top of the order is going to bring them in. So pretty much just having good at bats, getting on base, not striking out too much, and putting the ball in the play is the key to success.?
The Red Sox are back in action Tuesday in Hyannis against the Harbor Hawks, first pitch at 7 p.m.
