Danvers Holds Off Big Blue, 2-1

On a cold, windswept Friday afternoon the Danvers varsity baseball team defeated Swampscott in a classic pitcher’s duel not usually seen this early in the season. Relying heavily on the arm of senior Ray Arocho and the bat of sophomore Joe Strangie, the Falcons were able to come away with a satisfying victory over the Big Blue and remain unbeaten this season, 3-0.

“We really needed Ray (Arocho), to come up with something…he pitched a great game,” said Falcons’ skipper Roger Day after the game. Arocho dominated Swampscott going the entire seven innings, holding the Big Blue to just one hit, while striking out eight batters.

“Ray just had a great game,” Day continued. “He has four pitches, a two- and a four-seam fastball, a slider and a curve. He just kept them off balance the entire game.”

After walking the first batter, Arocho was able to get three straight groundouts, stranding a Swampscott player on third. In the bottom of the first, Arocho quickly helped his own cause, when after reaching first base on an error, he quickly stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. Three pitches later he crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

From there the game settled into a pitching contest. In the second, Arocho set Swampscott down 1, 2, 3, striking out two. In the third inning, Swampcott looked like it might tie the game. After striking out the first batter, Arocho gave up his only hit of the day, a double to right center. A walk followed his second strikeout of the inning. Arocho faced a first and third situation with two outs. He quickly bore down and retired the next batter on five pitches, striking out the side and erasing the Swampscott threat. Over the next three innings, Arocho added three more Ks, allowing Danvers to enter the last inning with a slim 1-0 lead.

Swampscott was able to tie the contest in the top of the seventh without collecting a hit. With two outs and two on, Swampscott hit a towering infield pop-up. The Swampscott players were off with the crack of the bat. While it looked like Danvers first baseman Zach Ryan had it in his sights, a last second gust of wind pushed it just enough to his left that he wasn’t able to haul it in, while the Big Blue player crossed the plate.

When captain Greg Little came to the plate in the bottom of the frame, things didn’t look too promising for the Falcons. There were two outs and they had yet to collect their first hit. The Danvers center fielder quickly changed that with a hard hit single to left. He quickly stole second and advanced to third on an error by the Swampscott shortstop.

Following a walk to A.J. Couto, Strangie came to plate with the bases loaded. Four pitches into the at-bat, he delivered a walk-off single to center, which scored Little and secured a 2-1 victory for the Falcons.

“This is the type of key victory that you build on during a season,” Day said after the game.

Danvers plays league games against Winthrop on Monday (home, 10 a.m.) and Marblehead on Wednesday (away, 10 a.m.) and takes part in an in-season tournament at David Prouty High School in Spencer on Tuesday and Thursday.