By Justin Lada
GENEVA, N.Y. — The Syracuse Salt Cats brought a three-game winning streak to McDonough Park. The Geneva Red Wings lugged a six-game slide with them. In the battle of the bullpens, however, the Red Wings came out on top by a field goal, 14-11 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action, Sunday.
Maso Cotton (Virginia State) was efficient through five innings of work. Working into the sixth inning, he allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk. The sixth inning arrived and the Red Wings exploded, working off a few days of frustrating losses. Cotton exited after the Wings reached him for four runs in the sixth.
The Salt Cats bullpen couldn’t get the outs necessary, something that has been the cause of many of their losses. Lou Liberatore (Malloy College) allowed two runs on a hit and a walk in the sixth inning.
The four-run sixth by Geneva tied things up at 6-6 thanks to a two-run double by Brad Blumer with two outs.
Libertore pitched to two batters in the seventh, allowing a walk and a hit before giving way to John Mildner (UMass-Amherest). Mildner had a rough afternoon following the “Liberator.” He got just one out, while allowing three runs (all earned) on two walks. He struck out Blumer in the seventh before intentionally walking Dave Saluga to load the bases and end his day.
It just wasn’t the Salt Cats bullpen’s day, and it was obvious because Kyle Cushman (Mohawk Valley CC/Onondaga CC), arguably the team’s best reliever, couldn’t get it done. Cushman allowed a single to Beau Hauser and walked Leon Stimpson to load the bases. Rickey Moses, one of the NYCBL’s top run producers sent a curveball packing for vacation beyond the wall in left field for a grand slam. Three of the runs were charged to Cushman with one charged to Mildner.
Zach Sutherland (Pikeville) made his first relief appearance of the yeaer, allowing two singles in the seventh but recorded two outs to mercifully end the inning, making it 14-7 Red Wings.
Connor Thompson (Mansfield) hit a solo home run in the 9th and Jake Cintolo (Suffolk University) had a two run double in the ninth before Zach Augustine came out of the Wings bullpen to get the final out of the game, ending it 14-11, the Salt Cats plating three runs in an attempted come back.
At one point the Salt Cats had a 6-1 lead.
In the first Syracuse sent all nine men to the plate, the first six batters reached base and three scored. Cintolo added a two run single and Andrew Mederios singled in a run in the first, giving the Salt Cats a 3-0 lead.
Mike Mascari (Oneonta State/Oswego State) grounded out to score Nick Carlson, who went to third on a sac bunt in the third inning making it 5-0.
Kevin Bailey drove in another run in the fifth with a sac fly. Bailey (Alvernia University) went four-for-six in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Bud Morton (Moorehead State) reached base in all six of his at bats. He collected four hits, walked, reached on an error and scored four runs.
Tyler Kirwan (UMass-Boson) made his first appearance of the summer, playing second base and popped out in his only at bat, his first plate appearance after breaking his tibia in college this spring.
The ‘Cats fell to 5-12 on the year and ended their three-game winning streak. After an off day on Monday the Salt Cats will travel back to Utica to take on the Brewers at 7 pm from Donovan Stadium.
Mike La Londe (Hiram College- 0-2 4.19) will make his fourth start of the season on Tuesday for the Salt Cats.
Follow the Salt Cats on twitter for all in-game updates @SyrSaltCats and on facebook at Syracuse SaltCats.
WP–K.Cushman 3 (3). PB–K.Bailey 3, J.Blair. HB–M.Hockenberry (2), N.Myers (2). SO–K.Bailey, J.Cintolo, A.Mederios 2, N.Carlson, C.Thompson, E.Braddock 2, Z.Lander, B.Blumer. BB–B.Morton 2, J.Cintolo, M.Mascari, C.Gapski, L.Stimpson, C.Ray, Z.Lander, J.Puscheck 2, D.Saluga, L.Sokol. BF–M.Cotton 27 (79), L.Liberatore 4 (23), J.Mildner 4 (28), K.Cushman 3 (35), Z.Sutherland 7 (59), M.Hockenberry 25 (71), N.Myers 4 (33), J.Dunn 13 (57), C.Finkler 7 (18), Z.Augustine (36). P-S–M.Cotton 84-56, L.Liberatore 19-10, J.Mildner 14-3, K.Cushman 13-6, Z.Sutherland 25-16, M.Hockenberry 89-55, N.Myers 14-4, J.Dunn 49-29, C.Finkler 19-10, Z.Augustine 4-3.
T–3:22. A–125
Leave a Reply