FerryHawks Rally Falls Just Short in Series Opener at Gastonia
GASTONIA, NC – For the second straight night, trailing by one in the ninth inning, Staten Island loaded the bases but narrowly missed out on a late-game comeback in a 5-4 loss Friday at CaroMont Health Park. The FerryHawks outhit the Honey Hunters, 11-8, – four coming from shortstop Angel Aguilar.
Anthony Rodriguez made his second start of the season for Staten Island, limiting the Honey Hunters to two runs over 4.2 innings. He struck out five and walked three in the series opener.
The FerryHawks supported Rodriguez early by striking first against lefty Jerry Keel in the fourth inning. Liriano kickstarted the inning with a single to right field, eventually setting the table for Kevin Krause. Staten Island DH deposited a home run over the wall in left-center field to put the FerryHawks ahead 2-0. Krause's first home run was one of two hits for the DH on the night.
Despite giving up six hits, Keel coughed up just the two runs over his 5.1 innings. He struck out one and did not allow a walk.
Gastonia countered quickly in the bottom of the fifth inning, tying the game with a 2-run longball of their own. Aguilar's error at shortstop allowed leadoff man Reece Hampton to reach, but he was canceled off the bases when Rodriguez picked him off at first. Alex Holderbach proceeded to double, before Cesar Trejo blasted a game-tying home run to centerfield, his first of the 2022 campaign.
Sam Bordner (2-0) was the only one of four Honey Hunters pitchers to shutout the FerryHawks on Friday. He followed Keel by retiring five of the six batters he faced, issuing one walk.
The Honey Hunters used the home run ball again in the sixth inning, working against FerryHawks reliever Yoel Espinal. Making his first appearance of the season, Espinal hit Stuart Levy to start his 2022 campaign and then allowed a home run to Hampton. His first longball of the year put the Honey Hunters ahead 4-2.
Espinal (0-1) recorded just two outs and allowed two earned runs on two hits. He was one of four relievers used by Staten Island on Friday night.
Levy helped Gastonia add what would become a critical insurance run in the seventh, plating Zach Jarrett with a one-out single.
Aguilar helped set up Staten Island's comeback attempt by belting his second home run of the season in the eighth inning. The solo shot narrowed the Honey Hunters lead to 5-3.
Down 5-3 entering the ninth inning, Staten Island's comeback bid started when Ben Ruta pinch-hit for Joseph Monge and collected his first double of the season. Javier Betancourt followed with a single to center, pushing home Ruta to make it a 5-4 game. With Jaylen Smith on first base as a pinch runner, Aguilar knocked a one-out single to finish his night 4-for-5 and put two aboard for Kacy Clemens. Ronald Pena issued a six-pitch walk to Clemens, loading the bases for Rymer Liriano. Pena was able to coax Liriano into a strike out to end the FerryHawks threat.
Staten Island (0-7) and Gastonia play the middle game of their three-game set on Saturday evening at CaroMont Park. RHP XXXXXXX takes the mound for the FerryHawks against Honey Hunters LHP XXXXXXXXX with first pitch scheduled for 6:15 PM in Gastonia, NC.
Postgame Notes: Angel Aguilar recorded the first four-hit game in FerryHawks history...Kevin Krause has (5) hits and (6) RBI over his last three games...All seven FerryHawks games have been decided by four runs or fewer – four have been decided by two runs or fewer..
