Newport Gulls Fall to New Bedford 3-2
Published on July 5, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEW BEDFORD, M.A. - Despite several opportunities with the tying run in scoring position late in the contest, the Newport Gulls were unable to rally, falling to the New Bedford Bay Sox, 3-2, on Thursday, July 5.
New Bedford improves to 14-9 overall this season and picks up a game on the first place Newport Gulls, who fall to 15-5 overall on the year, two and a half games ahead of the Bay Sox for first place in the Eastern Division.
New Bedford jumped out to the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning after an error and a sacrifice fly allowed a pair of unearned runs to score off Newport starter Tanner Chleborad, who went six innings, giving up just two runs on four hits with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. Despite the quality start on the road, Chleborad fell to 2-2 with the loss.
The Gulls were limited to just one hit, a leadoff single by third baseman Austin Slater in the fifth inning, until outfielder John Norwood doubled to left with two outs in the seventh inning. New Bedford reliever Isaac Greenspon walked the next three batters, including first baseman Steve Anderson with the bases loaded, to cut the Bay Sox lead to 2-1.
With the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Samuel Dodge got designated hitter Brett Winger to pop out to the shortstop on a 3-1 pitch to put out the fire and end the scoring threat.
Michael Johnson, a southpaw from Dartmouth, who was added to the roster earlier this week, made his Newport Gulls debut out of the bullpen in the seventh inning. Johnson led the NECBL with nine starts for the North Shore Navigators last season, going 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA, but surrendered a run on a pair of hits and a walk in two thirds of an inning in his Gulls debut.
Newport tacked on another run in the top of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by catcher Matt Pare, his third RBI of the season, to pull within a single run once again, trailing 3-2.
Reliever David Schmidt pitched the final inning and a third, managing to escape a pair of jams giving up no runs on one hit with a strikeout. Schmidt got New Bedford second baseman Evan King to ground into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded to send the game to the top of the ninth with Newport trailing by just one, 3-2.
Shortstop Blake Butera was hit by a pitch with one out to put the tying run on base for the Gulls, but was stranded at second base after Anderson grounded out to the pitcher and Winger flew out to right to end the game.
Dodge picked up the save for the Bay Sox, his first save of the season, while Greenspon improved to 4-1 picking up the win in relief.
Newport will be back in action taking on the Danbury Westerners at home on Friday, July 6. Ryan Halstead (1-1, 2.89 ERA with two saves in five relief appearances) will make his first start of the season for the Gulls.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 5, 2012
- Blue Sox Defeat British National 23u Team, 5-2 - Valley Blue Sox
- Swamp Bats win extra innings thriller over Danbury 6-5 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Newport Gulls Fall to New Bedford 3-2 - Newport Gulls
- SteepleCats Walk-Off Against Vermont in 5-4 Loss - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mainers Lose Extra Inning Heartbreaker 3-2 Against North Adams - Sanford Mainers
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