Sean Dwyer homered and knocked in two runs Thursday as Y-D beat Brewster 12-11 in eight innings.
By: Andrew Constant / @andrew_constant
The Red Sox (17-11) and Whitecaps (12-16) played a back-and-forth, darkness-shortened game Thursday night, combining for 23 runs and 33 hits, while committing six errors and Yarmouth-Dennis came from behind to win 12-11 in walk-off fashion.
As the sunlight faded, Y-D held a 10-8 lead going into the top of the eighth inning. Preston Hatcher, the third pitcher of the game for the Red Sox, allowed back-to-back infield hits to put two Whitecaps on with nobody out. After a groundout, Jason Monda got Brewster within one with an RBI groundout to first, signaling the end of Hatcher?s night. AJ Vanegas replaced him and was greeted by Aaron Judge who lined a single to center, scoring pinch runner Erik Forgione from second. But the Whitecaps weren?t done as Dan Olinger cracked a triple to left-center, hitting off the very top of the wall over the outstretched glove of Tanner Mathis, allowing Judge to race around from first to give Brewster the lead.
But they wouldn?t keep the lead for long, as the Red Sox charged back in the bottom of the eighth. Robert Pehl, the Cape League?s leader in RBIs, led off and seemed to hit a game-tying home run to left field, but the third base umpire ruled the ball foul. Pehl flied out later in the at-bat and Zak Blair grounded to second as Brewster moved to within one out of a crucial come-from-behind victory. But Alex Blandino wouldn?t let Y-D die, singling to left to extend the game and give the Red Sox life. Blandino moved up to second when left fielder Jeff McNeil?s throw back into the infield escaped everyone and skidded towards the seats down the first base line. After Sean Dwyer walked, Sean McHugh stepped to the plate with the winning run on base. The catcher from Purdue hit a sharp grounder to deep short, forcing Derek Campbell to make a long toss to retire McHugh, but his throw eluded the glove of first baseman Trevor Mitsui and Blandino scored from second, tying the game.
Justin Shafer came to the plate with a chance to be the hero, after entering in the top of the seventh as a defensive replacement, and chopped a grounder to third. Forgione, who had pinch-run in the top of the inning, botched the chance, and the ball bounced away, allowing Dwyer to score and setting off a wild celebration behind home plate.
The game didn?t look like it would be that close, especially after the Whitecaps scored seven runs in the top of the third inning against Y-D starter Chris Anderson. Mistui, Judge and Olinger had RBI singles in the frame before Spencer Navin homered over the center field wall, breaking a 3-3 tie and giving Brewster a 6-3 lead. McNeil capped off the scoring in the inning with an RBI double to right-center.
Brewster?s starter Luke Weaver kept the lead until the bottom of the fifth, when the Red Sox batted around and scored five times. With one out, Sam Travis started the inning with a single to left. Pehl homered to left for his fourth long ball of the summer, cutting the lead to 8-5. Blair singled to center and Blandino walked, ending Weaver?s outing, and Brewster called on Jake Kalish to try and put out the fire. Kalish, the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish, didn?t fare too well, as he only got one out before exiting the game. Dwyer singled to greet Kalish, loading the bases for pinch hitter Mason Katz. The outfielder from LSU flied out to right, chasing Blair home from third, and sending Blandino to third. With Josh Tobias at the plate, Dwyer stole second base and later in the same at-bat, Tobias walked to re-load the bases. Tanner Mathis singled in Blandino from third and Carlos Asuaje walked in a run to tie the game at 8-8. Evan Rutter replaced Kalish and promptly struck out Travis and end the inning.
The Red Sox gained the lead in the sixth inning when Dwyer smashed his third home run of the summer well over the right field wall. The scored stayed the same until the decisive eighth inning, which proved to be the last because of darkness.
The teams combined to leave 19 runners on base and waste multiple chances to tack on extra runs. Vanegas picked up the victory in relief and James Leckenby was the tough-luck loser for Brewster.
Y-D travels to Brewster?s Stony Brook Elementary School tomorrow to complete the home-and-home series. Ace Aaron Blair is scheduled to take the hill for the Red Sox, putting his league-leading 5-0 record and the league?s lowest ERA at 1.19 on the line. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
