AUBURN - For eight straight innings, The Auburn Doubleday pitchers were nearly flawless.
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
Doubledays' shortstop Luis Sanchez attempts to tag out Derrick Mitchell, of the Williamsport Crosscutters, as he slides safely into second base on a steal during the fourth inning of Sunday's game at Falcon Park.
Doubledays' shortstop Luis Sanchez attempts to tag out Derrick Mitchell, of the Williamsport Crosscutters, as he slides safely into second base on a steal during the fourth inning of Sunday's game at Falcon Park.
The trio of Kyle Walter, Drew Taylor and Cody Crowell allowed a mere six base runners. They struck out eight batters and gave up four hits. They kept the Doubledays in it.
Nevertheless, it was just one inning - just a handful of batters - that gave Williamsport a 3-0 win over Auburn. The Crosscutters did all their scoring in the top of the first and took the series 2-1 from the Doubledays.
“It was a good ballgame today - it was a tough game to lose,” said Auburn manager Dennis Holmberg.
Williamsport (4-2) pitcher Sergio Escalona picked up the win, toying with Auburn (3-3) for six innings before reliever Luke Wertz took over.
“We saw him down in Florida during extended spring training and he threw very well down there,” Holmberg said.
“He was throwing a lot of change-ups to the right-handed hitters,” said Adam Calderone, who went 2-for-4. “I'm from the left side so he's really not going to throw his change-up.”
Besides being the only Auburn player to pick up multiple hits off the Williamsport pitching staff, Calderone was thrown out at the plate in one of the Doubledays' best chances to get on the board.
The center fielder recorded his second double of the game in the fifth but Escalona fanned the next two batters. Darin Mastroianni's single got past shortstop Freddy Galvis; however leftfielder Michael Taylor was playing shallow enough to pick it up quickly.
Holmberg waived Calderone home - where Taylor's bullet was already in catcher Caleb Mangum's glove.
“With two outs 99.9 times out of 100 we're going to try to send that guy unless we're down 10-0,” Holmberg said. “But 3-0 we're trying to get back in the ballgame. If we can cut the lead to 3-1 or 3-2, we don't have to score four in the ninth. We can just score two.”
The Doubledays' next best chance game in the sixth, but a deflating double play ended the inning. Auburn was able to get leadoff batter Baron Frost when he was issued a walk, but with one out, Manny Rodriguez grounded into a 3-6-1 double play that ended the threat.
Holmberg briefly argued that Rodriguez was safe, but to no avail.
“The first baseman clearly pulled his foot off the bag,” he said.
Despite only connecting for four hits, Auburn had its fair share of chances. The Doubledays got the leadoff runner on board five times, and left three runners in scoring position.
By contrast, the Crosscutters got their offense going early, with D'Arby Myers and Galvis reaching on a walk and a single. After the next two batters failed to get on base, Matt Rizzotti doubled to score both. Rizzotti was brought in on a Derrick Mitchell double.
“Kyle Walter had just joined us a couple of days ago,” Holmberg said. “Maybe he had a little bit of a nervous first inning.”
Walter absorbed the loss for the Doubledays, giving up three earned runs in five innings of work with five strikeouts, four hits and three walks. Taylor shut out the Crosscutters in four innings of relief, walking three and fanning three.
Escalona gave up three hits while striking out eight and walking three. Wertz picked up the save giving up one hit and striking out four. He walked one batter.
Auburn resumes play today at Mahoning Valley.
Nevertheless, it was just one inning - just a handful of batters - that gave Williamsport a 3-0 win over Auburn. The Crosscutters did all their scoring in the top of the first and took the series 2-1 from the Doubledays.
“It was a good ballgame today - it was a tough game to lose,” said Auburn manager Dennis Holmberg.
Williamsport (4-2) pitcher Sergio Escalona picked up the win, toying with Auburn (3-3) for six innings before reliever Luke Wertz took over.
“We saw him down in Florida during extended spring training and he threw very well down there,” Holmberg said.
“He was throwing a lot of change-ups to the right-handed hitters,” said Adam Calderone, who went 2-for-4. “I'm from the left side so he's really not going to throw his change-up.”
Besides being the only Auburn player to pick up multiple hits off the Williamsport pitching staff, Calderone was thrown out at the plate in one of the Doubledays' best chances to get on the board.
The center fielder recorded his second double of the game in the fifth but Escalona fanned the next two batters. Darin Mastroianni's single got past shortstop Freddy Galvis; however leftfielder Michael Taylor was playing shallow enough to pick it up quickly.
Holmberg waived Calderone home - where Taylor's bullet was already in catcher Caleb Mangum's glove.
“With two outs 99.9 times out of 100 we're going to try to send that guy unless we're down 10-0,” Holmberg said. “But 3-0 we're trying to get back in the ballgame. If we can cut the lead to 3-1 or 3-2, we don't have to score four in the ninth. We can just score two.”
The Doubledays' next best chance game in the sixth, but a deflating double play ended the inning. Auburn was able to get leadoff batter Baron Frost when he was issued a walk, but with one out, Manny Rodriguez grounded into a 3-6-1 double play that ended the threat.
Holmberg briefly argued that Rodriguez was safe, but to no avail.
“The first baseman clearly pulled his foot off the bag,” he said.
Despite only connecting for four hits, Auburn had its fair share of chances. The Doubledays got the leadoff runner on board five times, and left three runners in scoring position.
By contrast, the Crosscutters got their offense going early, with D'Arby Myers and Galvis reaching on a walk and a single. After the next two batters failed to get on base, Matt Rizzotti doubled to score both. Rizzotti was brought in on a Derrick Mitchell double.
“Kyle Walter had just joined us a couple of days ago,” Holmberg said. “Maybe he had a little bit of a nervous first inning.”
Walter absorbed the loss for the Doubledays, giving up three earned runs in five innings of work with five strikeouts, four hits and three walks. Taylor shut out the Crosscutters in four innings of relief, walking three and fanning three.
Escalona gave up three hits while striking out eight and walking three. Wertz picked up the save giving up one hit and striking out four. He walked one batter.
Auburn resumes play today at Mahoning Valley.
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