NYPL Vermont Lake Monsters

Vermont Rallies For DH Split

Published on July 22, 2010 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Vermont Lake Monsters News Release


NORWICH, CT --- The Vermont Lake Monsters scored three unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally from a two-run deficit to beat the Connecticut Tigers 4-3 and earn a split of the New York-Penn League doubleheader after dropping game one 11-7 Thursday night at Dodd Stadium.

David Freitas gave Vermont a 1-0 lead in the nightcap with a solo homer in the fourth. The home run, which was the Lake Monsters first since July 8th, also extended Freitas' hitting streak to a team-record tying 18 straight games.

Connecticut scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the 4th to take a 3-1 lead and held that advantage until the seventh inning. Freitas and Wade Moore opened the seventh with back-to-back singles before Justin Moore reached on a throwing error by relief pitcher Antonio Cruz on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs.

Cruz then walked Ronnie LaBrie to force home a run to cut the deficit to 3-2, but then got Kevin Keyes to pop out to first. Pinch hitter Blake Kelso then hit a groundball to short that Brett Anderson fielded and forced LaBrie at second for the second out, but Anderson's throw to first to try to get Kelso to end the game was wild allowing Moore and Miller to score with the tying and go ahead runs.

Neil Holland (2-0), who had already pitched two scoreless innings of relief, had two strikeouts in a perfect bottom of the seventh to earn the victory. It was also just the third 1-2-3 inning recorded by Vermont pitchers over 20 innings in the three-game series.

The come-from-behind victory also changed what could have been down to a three-game lead back to a five-game advantage for Vermont (22-11) in the Stedler Division over Connecticut (17-16).

James Robbins went 4-for-4 with three runs, a double, triple and four RBI as Connecticut pounded out 17 hits and scored at least one run in all six innings it batted in its 11-7 victory in the doubleheader opener.

Vermont took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the first, but Connecticut scored one in the first and two in the second for a 3-2 advantage. Over the next two innings the Lake Monsters scored a run to tie the game, but the Tigers would score a run in the bottom of the inning to retake a 5-4 lead.

The Lake Monsters scored three times in the fifth, including a two-run ground-rule double from Connor Rowe, for a 7-5 Vermont lead. But Connecticut responded with three runs in the fifth for an 8-7 lead, then scored three more times in the bottom of the sixth.

Kevan Hess (2-0) did not allow a hit over the final 2 1/3 innings for the victory, while Vermont reliever Shane McCatty (2-2) allowed four runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings for the loss. Lake Monsters starter Taylor Jordan was charged with four runs on eight hits over the first three innings.

The Lake Monsters return home to historic Centennial Field to begin a seven-game homestand on Friday against the Lowell Spinners. The first 750 fans in attendance for Friday's 7:05 game will receive a free Champ bobblehead doll sponsored by New England Federal Credit Union, while Freitas will have a chance to break the team 18-game hitting streak record he now shares with Geoff Blum '94 and Jason Tuttle '03.

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New York-Penn League Stories from July 22, 2010


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