(Photos Courtesy of Zach Foley)
By Kieran Wilson
Y-D got just a little bit closer to clinching home field advantage in the East Divisional playoffs after their 9-6 win over the Brewster Whitecaps on Sunday evening. With three games remaining in the regular season, the Red Sox maintain a three-point lead over Orleans for first place, so every win is important in this late stage of the summer. Y-D gutted out a win against the Whitecaps thanks to some clutch hitting and a good start from Jackson Kent.
All-Star outfielder, Enzo Apodaca, started the game off with a bang, smashing a leadoff home run on the fourth pitch of the game to put Y-D up 1-0.
Hunter Hines led off the second inning with a ground rule double down the right field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ryan Jackson made the score 2-0 with a bloop single to left field, collecting his ninth RBI of the season.
But Brewster tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Y-D starter, Jackson Kent allowed a leadoff double to Dylan Leach, who scored after a bunt single and a fielder’s choice. Davis Diaz batted in Tyler Pettorini with a single to the outfield, knotting the game at two runs apiece.
Y-D looked to snatch the lead back in the third inning after they loaded the bases with no outs. Dub Gleed came to the plate looking to do damage, and he did just that with a single to right field that scored Braden Montgomery from third. Ryan Jackson got his second RBI of the day after grounding into a double play that scored Hines and gave the Red Sox a 4-2 lead.
Y-D extended their lead to 6-2 in the fifth inning after RJ Austin reached on a throwing error, moved to third on a Montgomery single, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Hines. Montgomery then scored from second base after a walk by Zander Darby and a single by Dub Gleed.
Brewster loaded the bases in their half of the fifth after a single, a hit by pitch, and a walk. But with two outs, Kent struck out Ike Irish to end the scoring threat. That would be Kent’s last inning, as he finished with five innings pitched, allowing two runs, striking out six, and earning his second win of the season.
Y-D added to their run total in the sixth inning and they proved to be crucial runs. With two outs, Apodaca and Ryan Stafford both singled to put runners on the corners for RJ Austin. He advanced all the way to second on another throwing error by Brewster’s shortstop that also scored Apodaca. Montgomery drove in both Stafford and Austin with a single to left field, and Y-D left the inning up 9-2.
The Whitecaps tried to claw back in the late innings, scoring two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. Davis Diaz hit a two-run homer in the seventh, and in the eighth, Brock Tibbitts scored on a passed ball and Dylan Leach scored after an error by Ryan Jackson, making the score 9-6.
But the scoring would end there as Boston Mabeus pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings to earn the save. Postgame, field manager, Scott Pickler, heaped praise upon the whole team. He commended Apodaca for setting the tone with his leadoff home run, Austin and Montgomery for heads-up baserunning, and nearly every member of the starting nine for playing well. He summed it up by saying, “It’s not one man, it was a full team win. Everybody did a little bit to give us this win.”
Y-D will need to continue to string together complete wins like this one against Brewster as they look toward the playoffs and hope to win another championship. Their next tilt comes on Monday at “Red” Wilson Field against the Chatham Anglers.
