STATEN ISLAND, NY– Kacy Clemens' go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning gave Staten Island their second lead on Wednesday night, one they'd never give up, in an 8-5 victory over York at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. The win snaps the FerryHawks nine-game skid, setting up a Thursday evening rubber game with the Revolution.
Tied 5-5 headed to the bottom of the seventh inning, the FerryHawks top of the lineup kickstarted a three-hit game-turning rally to get Staten Island off the schneid. After a Joseph Monge single, Alfredo Reyes attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Monge into scoring position. The shortstop's bunt up the first-base line was good enough to earn him a single as well. After a strikeout to Rymer Liriano, Clemens supplied the lead-earning single up the middle to plate both Reyes and Monge. The knock was Clemens second run-scoring hit of the night, giving him 3 RBI in Wednesday's win.
Eric Mariñez earned his second hold of the season by working a scoreless eighth inning, before giving way to left-hander Chris Nunn. A one-out error on catcher Bryan Gonzalez left Nunn with some work to do in the game's final frame, but the hard-throwing portsider managed to lock down Staten Island's sixth-ever win. Connor Lien and Edwin Figuera each got a chance to hit in the ninth inning as the tying run, but Nunn retired the pair to end the ball game.
The Revolution scored first for the second straight night, needing just three batters in the first inning against FerryHawks starter Anthony Rodriguez. Troy Stokes Jr. began the game with a double and would be pushed home two batters later on a Melky Mesa single. The Revolution left fielder is batting over .400 this season against the FerryHawks.
York doubled the lead in the second inning on a run-scoring fielder's choice off the bat of Lenin Rodrgiuez, extending the early York advantage to 2-0.
Staten Island had their first answer with a bottom of the second inning two-out rally, dealing with Revolution lefty Austin Nicely. Mariel Bautista kept the inning alive by collecting a single through the left side, before Ricard Cespedesreached on a throwing error by the shortstop Figuera. With two aboard, Javier Betancourt delivered the first of three singles on Wednesday, plating Bautista and Cespedes to tie the game at 2-2.
The FerryHawks picked up where they left off in the very next inning, accounting for three runs in the third. After back-to-back one-out singles by Reyes and Liriano, Kacy Clemens picked up the first of his two hits by driving a single to right field to score Reyes. Now ahead 3-2, Staten Island was bolstered by Bautista's two-out two-run double, scoring Liriano and Clemens for a 5-2 lead.
The seesaw contest continued with the Revolution revolting for three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to knot the game up at 5-5. Mesa continued to be a thorn in the FerryHawks side, garnering another RBI single in the fourth inning to make a 5-3 game. Anthony Rodriguez would start the fifth inning in his sixth start of the season, but fail to record an out. The professional rookie allowed five runs on eight hits and gave way to left-handed reliever Jose Velez after loading the bases with no outs. After getting Figuera to fly out to shallow right field, Velez tossed a wild pitch which pushed all runners up 90 feet, making it a 5-4 game. Lenin Rodriguez tied the game at 5-5 a few pitches later by hitting a sacrifice fly to right field.
Connor Law (1-0) served as the second reliever for the FerryHawks in Wednesday's win, preserving the 5-5 tie by tossing a scoreless sixth and seventh inning.
Austin Nicely (0-5) wound up lasting seven innings by throwing 120 pitches. He allowed 11 hits and seven runs, but impressively whiffed eight without issuing a walk.
Alberto Rodriguez, who was the winning pitcher on Tuesday, appeared on back-to-back nights pitching the eighth inning Wednesday. Staten Island added an insurance run off the right-hander when he walked Liriano with the bases loaded to make it 8-5.
Staten Island (6-22) and York meet in the rubber match on Thursday night at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. FerryHawks pitcher is to be determined in the series finale against Revolution RHP MerandyGonzalez. First pitch is slated for 6:30 PM with the FerryHawks Pregame Show starting at 6:15 PM on the SI FerryHawks YouTube Page.
Postgame Notes: Four FerryHawks relievers combined for 5.0 innings of one-hit baseball...Four of SI's six wins are against York...(8) Runs is tied for the most in a FerryHawks victory and second most this season...(12) hits matches a season high...Kacy Clemens picked up his first multi-RBI game (3) and is (7-for-16, 4 RBI) over his last four games...Javier Betancourt (3-for-3) recorded his second three-hit game of the season...
