Pirates take back lead in Minor League
- Published: July 11, 2019
The Tom’s Market Pirates reclaimed the top of the Minor League standings going into the final week of play, but their lead is a slim one, with the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Brewers and the Nipper’s Corner Yankees close behind. Last week’s play began on Monday, July 1, with one of the best played games of the season, when the Nipper’s Corner Yankees rallied late to edge out the Peach’s Dodgers 10–9 in a game that saw 18 hits from each team. The Yankees got their offense going in the first inning with five runs scored off doubles by Henry Lake and Kyu Flateau and a base hit from Ella Fodal. After holding each other scoreless in the second, the Dodgers took the lead with seven third inning runs. Lucas Mikesell and Charlie Carr both smashed two RBI doubles, Malini Miller added a two RBI triple and then crossed the plate on a Javin Obringer base hit. The Dodgers took a 9–5 lead in the top of the fourth with two more runs on a ground out RBI by Alex Main and an RBI single by Miller. But the Yankees roared back in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good with five runs, thanks to a Neirin Barker RBI double, Nico Sajabi’s RBI single and a two RBI single by Ella Fodal, who led the team on the day with three hits and as many RBIs. Malini Miller led the Dodgers with a three-for-three day and three RBIs, with Henry Carr and Lucas Mikesell also going three-for-three at the plate.
The Nipper’s Corner Yankees won their second game of the week in a decisive 29–10 victory over the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Brewers in the first game on Saturday, July 6. The Yankees pounded out 38 hits in the game and scored five runs in each of the first three innings and seven runs in each of the two final innings. Aiden Gustafson, Henry Lake, Zander Breza, Noelle Fisher, David Scott, Kyu Flateau, Vincent Machi, Nico and Sameer Sajabi, Ella Fodal and Mark Meyer all collected multiple hits. Three singles, a double and triple were hit by both Lake and Gustafson, resulting in six and three RBIs respectively. Sameer Sajabi smacked a fourth inning grand slam home run. The Brewers had 20 hits, with every player getting at least one. Luc Amend, Henry Babb, Logan Herzog and Jaida Jones all went three-for-four at the plate and were collectively responsible for five RBIs.
Saturday’s second game saw the Tom’s Market Pirates move back to the top of the league standings by holding off the Peach’s Dodgers 8–4. The Pirates jumped out to a 5–0 lead in the first inning on RBI base hits from David Torres and Tyler Blair and RBI doubles by Tanner Miller, Ainsley Johnson and My’Son McCain. Two more runs were put up in the fourth on a Tavey Johnson RBI single and a Sherrod Wheeler home run to deep center, followed by Wheeler’s RBI single in the fifth to add one more run. Wheeler and Tavey Johnson both went three-for-three at the plate to lead the team. The Dodgers had 11 hits and were led by two hits each from Saul Alvarez, Henry Carr, Emil Lazar, Alex Main and Ashby Lyons, with rookie Sophia Purdin collecting her second base hit of the season.
The Tom’s Market Pirates lead the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Brewers by just a single game and the Nipper’s Corner Yankees by a game-and-a-half.
The 2019 Minor League season has been extended by one week in an attempt to complete games missed earlier in the season due to weather. See the league website at http://www.ysbaseball.org for details of make-up games the week of July 15. The Minor League post-season tournament will begin on Monday, July 22, and conclude with the post-season championship game on Saturday, July 27, at 5 p.m., on the softball field in Gaunt Park. The game will be followed by a potluck picnic, awards ceremony and Yellow Springs Youth Baseball, Inc.’s annual meeting. Please bring a side dish to share at the picnic and your own non-alcoholic beverage. Hamburgers, hot dogs, dinnerware and cutlery will be provided.
Meanwhile, the Major League standings remain unchanged with the Sunrise Café Orioles maintaining a two game lead over the Adoption Link Dodgers, after both teams won their games last week. The Orioles snatched the lead late in the game in a 12–10 victory over the Ye Olde Trail Tavern Cardinals on Monday, July 1. The Cardinals got their offense started with six first inning runs, when Luka Sage-Frabotta singled on a 2–2 count, scoring Frank Machi. RBI singles from Violet Babb and Lucas Dunn added two more runs, with two others crossing the plate on wild pitches and one more when Babb stole home. The Cardinals put up three runs in the top of the second on a Lucas Dunn three-run home. The Orioles immediately answered with three of their own when Dylan Reed hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring two runs and added another on Azel Schindel’s RBI ground out. The Orioles added four more runs in the third, thanks to a three-run homer by Colin Linderman that sent Kian Rainey and Sam Linden across the plate, followed by Hazen VanMeter’s steal of home. Even after Schindel also stole home in the fourth, the Orioles were still down by a run when Linderman tied the game at nine with his second home run of the day. Shawn VanHoose, Oscar Dennis and Lucas Price all scored later by stealing home to put the Orioles up 12–9. Dennis pitched two innings for the Orioles, allowing four hits and nine runs while striking out two. Dunn went two-for-two at the plate with four RBIs and a pair of stolen bases to lead the Cardinals. Five of his teammates also tore up the base paths, stealing at least two bases each, led by Machi’s five, including a steal of home for the Cardinal’s final score. On the mound, Machi allowed four hits and seven runs over two-and-a-third innings, striking out one. Josh Clark and Luka Sage-Frabotta pitched in relief, allowing three hits, four walks and five runs.
The Adoption Link Dodgers handed the Ye Olde Trail Tavern Cardinals their second loss of the week on Saturday, July 6 in a 14–3 decision. Three runs were put up by the Dodgers in each of the first two innings while racking up nine total hits in the game. Jake Ortiz-Thornton, Matt Grushon, and Krishan Miller each had two hits to lead the Dodgers, who also ran the bases well, with five stealing at least two. Grayson Horn led the thefts with three. The Dodgers tallied six runs in the fourth inning ,with Horn, Sam Miller and Krishan Miller each with RBIs in the big inning. Isaac Grushon led things off on the hill for the Dodgers, throwing two innings, allowing two walks, but no runs or hits, and striking out four. Jake Ortiz-Thornton came on in relief, allowing one hit, three runs, four walks and striking out four over three innings. The Cardinals struggled at the plate, with Linderman getting the team’s only hit. He also pitched two-and-two-thirds innings, allowing seven runs off three hits and five walks while striking out five.
Minor League games are played Saturday mornings and Monday and Wednesday evenings, with Major League games on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. See the league website at http://www.ysbaseball.org for the full schedule, updates, results and standings for both leagues.
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