Tom’s Market Pirates surge; Peach’s Dodgers on top
- Published: July 13, 2017
The Tom’s Market Pirates surged to enter the final week of the Minor League season only a half-game behind the league-leading Peach’s Dodgers after winning three of four last week, including a pair of wins against the previously undefeated Dodgers.
The week opened with the Tom’s Market Pirates prevailing 19–6 over the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox on Monday, July 3. Derek Reed led the Pirates with a four-for-four day that included home runs in the first, second and fourth innings along with a third inning triple for a total of 9 RBIs and four runs scored. Brother Dylan Reed netted three RBIs and as many runs scored while Hazen VanMeter went four-for-four, knocked in a pair and scored three times. Avry Bell-Arment led the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox with three hits in as many at bats and two runs scored, while rookie Lucy Dennis batted two-for-three, which resulted in a pair of RBIs. Brothers Kian and Neirin Barker, Cal Freeman, Lucas Price and Kellen Scott all batted two-for-two on the day for the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox, with rookie Ezra Lydy adding a pair of RBIs.
The Peach’s Dodgers won their first game last week with a 12–5 victory over the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles on Wednesday, July 5. The team pounded out 21 hits, led by Braylon Williamson’s three doubles and a single resulting in a pair RBIs and two runs scored. Kian Rainey followed with three base hits and a double resulting in an RBI and two runs scored.
But the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles rebounded on Saturday, July 8, with an 8–6 win over the second-place Tom’s Market Pirates. Both teams scored a run in the first, but the Orioles went up for good with a five-run third inning, led by Cal Freeman’s center field double to score Ezra Lydy and Lucas Price after their base hits. Frank Machi crossed the plate on a single by Sameer Sajabi, who then scored on a Jackson Knopp single to put the Pirates up 6 to 2. The teams both scored twice in the fourth, with the Pirates’ adding another pair in a final-inning rally that fell just short. The Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles had 14 hits on the day, led by Freeman, Sajabi and Frank Machi who all batted two-for-two at the plate, scored once and knocked in two other runs. The Orioles defense also performed much better, running down or catching Pirate runners between bases five times, along with a pair of fielder’s choice outs and three caught pop flies. It was the Tom’s Market Pirates third loss of the season, despite a 15-hit day at the plate, led by Teddy Horvath and Hazen Van Meter’s three-for-three performance leading to a run and an RBI and home runs from brothers Derek and Dylan Reed.
They must have been inspired by the loss, as in only their second and third meeting of the season, the Tom’s Market Pirates took both games of a doubleheader with the Peach’s Dodgers. The Pirates prevailed 8–6 in the first of two much anticipated make up games. The Pirates jumped out to a 2–1 lead after the first inning, then exploded for six runs in the top of the second on doubles from Dylan Reed and Hazen VanMeter and a Derek Reed triple to go up 8–1. The Dodgers rallied, responding with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third, thanks to RBI singles by Mateo Basora, Braylon Williamson, Quinn Creighton and a fielder’s choice RBI grounder by Kian Rainey. The Dodgers defense toughened and held the Pirates scoreless in the final three innings when Kian Rainey caught a Hazen VanMeter third inning pop fly then doubled off Dylan Reed for the double play in the third. That was followed by Quinn Creighton’s great snag of a fourth-inning Jack Horvath line drive and a pair of fielder’s choice plays in the fourth and fifth. The Dodgers had the last at bat and tried to rally but could only add one run when Olivia Labrador’s RBI single scored Kian Rainey. Derek Reed again led Tom’s Market Pirates by going three-for-three, resulting in a pair of RBIs and runs scored. Kian Rainey led the Peach’s Dodgers with a one-for-three day at the plate netting two RBIs and a run scored.
The second game saw the Pirates open with a strong three run first inning and advance to a 9–3 win over the Dodgers. After allowing just a single run in the first, the Pirates took the lead when Dylan Reed and Teddy Horvath crossed the plate on Hazen VanMeter’s ground out. The Pirates added another run in each of the second and third innings, while their defense held the Dodgers scoreless in both frames. The Pirates then tacked on four runs in the fourth on a two RBI Derek Reed double followed by a two RBI base hit by Adeline Zinger to go up 9–1. The Dodgers final chance at-bat netted only two more runs, Quinn Creighton’s two out base-hit to score Braylon Williamson and an Olivia Labrador single to plate Kian Rainey. Derek Reed’s 3–3 day netted three runs and a pair of RBIs for the Tom’s Market Pirates, VanMeter scored once and had three RBIs after going two-for-three while Adeline Zinger also batted three-for-three on the day with three RBIs. RBIs from Braylon Williamson, Xavier Pauling and Kian Rainey were responsible for the three Peach’s Dodger Runs.
The Peach’s Dodgers moved to a 7–2 record, closely followed by the Pirates at 7–3, with the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Orioles at 3–7 and the Nipper’s Corner Red Sox at 2–7. This weekend will wrap up regular season play with a pair of games Saturday morning, followed next week by the post season tournament concluding with the championship game on Saturday, July 22.
The Major League’s Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers remain undefeated on the season after winning all three of last week’s games. They opened play on Monday, July 3, with a 10–9 win over the Sunrise Café Indians. The Indians jumped out to an 8–3 lead after three innings but then saw the Dodgers come alive in the fifth with six runs crossing the plate to take a 9–8 lead. Both teams then scored only another run each in the final inning. Sam Miller batted three-for-three to lead the Dodgers, knocking in six runs and stealing three bases while brother Krishan Miller struck out five and gave up just one run to notch the win on the mound. Matt Duncan paced the Indians with a first inning two RBI base hit and one more knocked in on a sixth inning ground out.
The second Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers win of the week was also just by one run, hanging on to outlast the Sunrise Café Indians 6–5 on Saturday, July 8. The Dodgers scored one in the first and two more in the second, while holding the Indians scoreless through three. The Dodgers added two more in the fifth, which proved to be just enough. The Indians’ Blaine Baker crushed a hit to deep left field in the fourth that was chased down by Noah VanHoose. Playing perfectly, VanHoose relayed to Deandre Cowen, who fired a laser to catcher Lucas Dunn who tagged out a sliding Baker at the plate. The Indians rally in their last at bat fell just short with two more runs scored by Jaymon Lange and Ben Espinosa.
The final meeting of the week on Sunday, July 9th, saw the Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers come away with a 10–6 win. The teams were tied at 8–8 after the first two innings but the Dodgers exploded for six runs in the fourth to insure the win. The Indians could only manage one more run in each of the third and sixth innings, due in part to Noah VanHoose’s three strike outs and great defensive play from the mound. Dodgers’ catcher Lucas Dunn also picked off a runner at third with two outs to end a fourth-inning Indian threat. Deandre Cowen led the Dodgers with one hit, two RBIs, two runs and two stolen bases, including a two-out, two-RBI hit in the fourth to provide some breathing room. Jeremy Lange paced the Indians with a pair of hits, runs scored and RBIs and a stolen base.
The season’s final game will see the Yellow Springs Chiropractic Dodgers host the Sunrise Café Indians Saturday at 10 a.m. in Gaunt Park. See the league website at http://www.ysbaseball.org for any schedule updates, the latest scores and other information.
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