By Justin Lada
SYRACUSE — Cross-town rivals, the Syracuse Salt Cats and Syracuse Jr. Chiefs met for the first of six times on Friday evening at Hopkins Road Park. If Friday is any indication, the other five matchups are going to make it one interesting summer for the two NYCBL Syracuse franchises. The Salt Cats dropped their seventh straight NYCBL contest, 17-8 to the Jr. Chiefs.
The J-Chiefs chased Salt Cats started Zach Sutherland (Pikeville) after just two innings. They scored a pair in the first thanks to an RBI single David Wolak and an RBI groundout by Corey Caswell.
The little Chiefs weren’t done as they would send 10 batters to the plate with five of them crossing. The five runners scored in succession as Zach Blander, Frank Salerno and Tim Locastro would all single with Caswell doubled in a pair for the big blow of the inning.
All six of the runs Sutherland allowed were earned on seven Chiefs hits, walking three and striking out a paid.
Two Salt Cat errors allowed another four runs to cross the plate in the Chiefs third inning. An inning after sending 10 men to the plate, eight more came to the plate. Dan Carroll led the inning off reaching on an error by Salt Cats second basemen Bud Morton (Moorehead State). Three straight singles again by the Jr. Chiefs plated three un earned runs.
Libertore threw a hitless fourth inning, with just one batter reaching on an error. It was just one of two innings the Chiefs didn’t plate a run.
The Chiefs would go on to plate two more in the fifth thanks to a two RBI single by Alexander Sanchez.
After five it was 13-3 in favor of the Jr. Chiefs before the Salt Cats would finally chase their starter, Ethan Striz in the top of the sixth.
Morton and Kevin Bailey (Alvernia) pushed a pair of runs across the dish in the fifth with RBI singles and in the sixth it was Ed Charles with the big blow, an RBI double that scored two that finally knocked out Striz.
In his 5.1 innings of work Striz was effective, didn’t walk a batter and only struck out one Salt Cat. He did allow six runs (five earned) on nine hits, five of those runs and five hits came in the fourth and fifth innings.
When Striz was pulled things got real interesting. Salt Cats catcher, Connor Thompson (Mansfield University) was ejected after being hit by a pitch, forcing Manager Mike Martinez to move the designated hitter, Bailey, to catch, losing the DH spot.
‘Cats reliever Roberto Morales (Walsh University) ended up pinch running for Thompson and later scored in the inning. The wildness continued the Salt Cats would have to use multiple subs.
Patrick DeSantis (Tompkins Courtland CC) made his first plate appearance of the season; walking and later scoring while pinch hitting for the pitcher.
Kyle Cushman (Mohawk Valley CC) came on in the eighth inning with two outs in relief of Bo Watson (St. Bonaventure). Cushman threw one pitch, retiring Sanchez on a groundout to third to end the inning. In that eighth inning the Jr. Chiefs plated three more runs, all un earned via to Salt Cats errors. That put the game out of reach at 17-8.
The Salt Cats plated three in the sixth they tried to mount a comeback, making it 14-8 by scoring two more in the top half of the eighth. Dan Fiorito (Manhantanville) singled, scoring DeSantis and Sean Williams (Oklahoma State-Panhandle), a Salt Cats pitcher who came on the play right field, in the wildness of bench shuffling when the Salt Cats lost their DH.
The Salt Cats (1-7) will be back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. from McDonough Stadium in Geneva to take on the Geneva Red Wings.
Mike La Londe (0-1 2.70, Hiram College) will make third start of the year for the Salt Cats.
Monday June 18th the Salt Cats return home to host the Geneva Red Wings at 5 p.m. from Le Moyne College.
You can follow the Salt Cats on twitter @SyrSaltCats or on Facebook at Syracuse SaltCats
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