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Wild pitch nets game-winner for Spirit

August 28, 2005 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
North Shore Spirit News Release


Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. The North Shore Spirit found that out Sunday afternoon as they scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch to defeat the Grays 6-5 in the rubber match of their three-game weekend series.

Bryan Morse started for the Spirit and worked the first 5 2/3. Morse allowed three runs on three hits but didn't factor in the decision. Ryan McCally (4-2) picked up the win, working a perfect inning of relief. Alex Herrera pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his 9th save of the season. Evan Neiser (1-4) was saddled with the loss for the Grays.

For the third straight game, the Grays grabbed the early lead. Scott Grimes leadoff the third with a ringing single back up the box. After a sacrifice bunt by Angel Valdez, an error by shortstop Cleatus Davidson allowed Grimes to score with the games first run. Two batters later, Brad Hargreaves put the Grays up 2-0 with an RBI single to center.

The Spirit answered quickly with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning. Macchi laced an RBI double into the gap in right center, plating Vic Davilla and Travis Oglesby.

Macchi struck again in the fifth. After Davilla worked a walk, Macchi launched a towering homerun to right, his 8th of the season.

The Grays narrowed the gap an inning later. Darren Ciraco's two out RBI double cut the Spirit lead to 4-3 and knocked Morse from the game.

North Shore tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Vic Davilla picked up his 78th run batted in of the season with a double that scored Garrett Weir. After six complete, the Spirit held a 5-3 advantage.

In the top of the seventh, The Grays roughed up Spirit reliever Jarrett Sues for two runs. RBI singles from Bernard Caston and Hargreaves knotted the game at five. North Shore avoided further damage when Ryan McCally struck out Ciraco with the bases loaded and two outs.

The game stayed tied until the bottom of the eighth when good fortune struck for the Spirit. Weir got things started with a slow roller down the first base line that turned into a contested infield hit. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, Gray's hurler Andrew Edwards uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Weir to scamper home with the winning run.

Macchi lead the Spirit attack with three hits and four RBI's. A crowd of 2,659 watched as the Spirit improved their second half record to 23-15.

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