Dodgers still top both leagues
- Published: June 22, 2017
The Peach’s Dodgers maintained a two-game lead in the Minor League standings after the third full week of play.
The week began with the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles outlasting the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox 9–4 on Monday, June 12. The Red Sox took a 2–0 first inning lead thanks to Aiden Scavone’s RBI groundout to score Max Lugo, followed by Hope Danis crossing the plate on a Henry Babb RBI single, but the Orioles took the lead for good in the second with RBI singles from Jackson Knopp and Caroline Tucker and Ezra Lydy’s two-RBI base hit. The Red Sox added a pair in the bottom of the fourth thanks to RBI doubles from Scavone and Babb, but the Orioles tacked on four more in the top of the final inning off Cal Freeman’s three RBI triple to center and Sameer Sajabi’s RBI double to score Freeman. Babb led the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox with a pair of RBIs off two hits in as many at bats while Sajabi went three-for-three at the plate and an RBI for the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles.
The Nipper’s Corner Red Sox rebounded and topped the second-place Tom’s Market Pirates 13–11 in six innings on Saturday, June 17. The Pirates captured a first-inning lead off Derek Reed’s three-run homer followed by a David Torres RBI single to score Teddy Horvath, but the Red Sox came alive with seven second-inning runs. After Henry Babb sent sister Violet across the plate with an RBI single, he scored on an Alex Hamilton RBI single. Justin Hamilton’s RBI single scored brother Alex, followed by a hard-hit triple from Max Lugo to score Justin. Aiden Scavone then smacked a two-run home run to put the Red Sox up 7–4. The Pirates battled back, adding a pair in both the second and fourth innings to tie the game at 8–8 after four. The Red Sox took a 9–8 lead in the top of the fifth on Henry Babb’s RBI base hit that scored his sister Violet. The Pirates responded in their last at bat with an RBI single from Tiger Collins to score Torres and again tie the game at 9–9, which is how regulation play ended after a pair of great fielder’s choice plays by Avry Bell-Arment and Lugo. The Red Sox stayed hot in the extra inning, adding four more runs off Bell-Arment’s RBI double, a two RBI single by Ben Morris and an RBI base hit by Henry Geis. Trailing 13–9, the Pirates opened the bottom of the inning with a Dylan Reed home run. Red Sox third baseman Lugo then made a fantastic diving catch off Hazen VanMeter’s pop-fly foul for the first out. After a strike out, Derek Reed tripled to center and then scored on a Horvath single to narrow the score to 13–11. Torres then singled, sending Horvath to second. Theodore Collins then hit a ground ball directly to Lugo, who stepped on third to put out the advancing Horvath on a fielder’s choice to end the inning and seal the win. Ben Morris led the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox with three RBIs, and four hits in as many at bats, while Derek Reed led the Tom’s Market Pirates, going three-for-four with a double, triple, home run and five RBIs.
A much-anticipated matchup between the Peach’s Dodgers and Tom’s Market Pirates on Wednesday, June 14, was postponed due to poor field conditions, which meant the Dodgers’ only game of the week was a 10–1 victory over the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles on Saturday, June 17. The Dodgers took control of the game early with first inning RBI singles from Braylon Williamson, Kian Rainey, Mallik Royalston and a sacrifice groundout by Quinn Creighton. They held the Orioles scoreless in the first three innings while adding another run in both the second and third off RBI singles from Mateo Basora and Hudson Pauling. Williamson, Rainey, Joslyn Herring and Royalston all had RBI base hits in the fourth to put the game away. Kellen Scott’s fourth inning RBI single scored Hope Danis for the Orioles’ only run. But the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles defense did show improvement, with shortstop Cal Freeman and second baseman Frank Machi combining on three fielder’s choice plays to put out Peach’s Dodgers runners at second base.
The Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers remain at the top of the standings with an undefeated record of 4–0 after the second full week of Major League play, having won both of their games last week. Their first victory was a 17–2 dominance over the Winds Cafe Reds on Monday, June 12. All eight Dodger players scored, pounding out nine hits. Lucas Dunn notched the win with a pair of strikeouts, three walks, four hits and two allowed runs. Dunn also went two-for-two at the plate with four RBIs while Noah VanHoose went two-for-three with three RBIs. Defending batting champion Dominick Fisher led the Reds with a two-for-two performance at the plate and an RBI single to score Azel Schindel, while Jeremy Lange’s third inning base hit scored Fisher for the Winds Café Reds other run.
Their second game of the week was also a victory, as the Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers outlasted the Sunrise Cafe Indians 17–12 on Thursday, June 15. The Dodgers took a 2–1 lead after the first and then added three more in the second for a 5–2 lead. They tacked on five more in the third, but the Indians responded with four runs of their own in the third to trail 10–6. The Dodgers added four more in the fourth thanks to RBIs from Noah VanHoose and Deandre Cowen. After being held scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, the Indians allowed three more Dodgers runs in the top of the fifth to trail 17–6 going into their last at bat. The Indians mounted a strong rally, putting up six runs in the final inning but still falling short. Finn Bledsoe, Ben Espoinosa and Sophia Lawson led the Winds Cafe Reds effort, while Jake Ortiz-Thornton finished with five stolen bases. Noah VanHoose and Eamonn Cary led the Dodgers, each going two-for-three at the plate with three RBIs, while Isaac Grushon and Lucas Dunn both had six stolen bases for the Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers.
The Sunrise Cafe Indians finished out the week on Saturday, June 17, with a 15–0 overpowering of the Winds Cafe Reds. Pitching proved to be the Reds downfall, allowing 17 walks, combined with a strong Indians defense. The Indians jumped out to a 3–0 lead after the first, adding another eight runs in the second and four more in the third until the run rule was reached. Matt Duncan led the Indians with two runs scored and a three-RBI double in the third inning. Josh Clark and Ben Espinosa also scored three runs each for the Sunrise Café Indians.
The Sunrise Cafe Indians finished the week in second place at 2–2, followed by the Winds Cafe Reds at 0–4.
Minor League games are played on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. Major League games are played on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and Monday and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. All games are played in Gaunt Park. See the league website at http://www.ysbaseball.org for the latest results, schedules and other information.
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