August Mens Night Baseball League Action

August 10^th

Broozers (2-3) – 4
Black Smoke (1-4) – 0

Rich Clement continued the Broozers’ dominance over the Black Smoke, tossing a 4 hit shutout, with no walks and 3 strikeouts. This was the first complete game shutout thrown by an MNBL player this season, and just the 3^rd dating back to the 2009 season.  Clement also helped his cause with an RBI.  Black Smoke manager Kevin Masterson commented after the game, “We just can’t beat these guys.” Over the last three seasons the Broozers own a 4-0-2 mark against the defending champs.

Red Storm (4-1) - 4

Maronis (3-2) - 3

The Red Storm scored an early run off Maroni’s lefty Dan Doherty with a Dave "Spooner" Cullihane double. Spooner knocked in rookie Tom Summers after a long 9 pitch at bat. The Maronis countered in the 1st with 2 runs of their own.  Scott Khourie had an RBI single and later scored on an error. The Maronis went ahead 3-2 in the 4th after a Joe Cirino RBI single.  But the Red Storm came back, putting up a crooked number with a 2 RBI double from Storm starting pitcher Donnie "Petey" Peterson. Ronnie Wilson came in for the save but made it interesting, walking two batters.  He escaped the jam by getting a line out to short, followed up by a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

August 16^th

Orange Crush (5-0) - 13

Silver Bullets (2-3) - 2

The Orange Crush scored early and often against the Silver Bullets. Bullet’s starter Steve Heimlich had some control issues in the 1^st inning, walking the first two batters.  An error then helped lead to a big inning as the Crush scored 7 times in the 1^st.  Elliot Daniels cruised through his outing, giving up 2 runs and 8 hits, and striking out 6 while walking just one. The Crush offense was led by Tyler Calkin, Lance Madden, Bill Brooks, Tony Salamone, and Mike Killilea, who each had 2 hits.  The big blow was a bases clearing double in the 4^th by Madden to put the game away.

August 17th

Black Smoke (2-4) - 7

Orange Crush (5-1) - 6

The Black Smoke handed the Orange Crush their first loss of the season with a 7-6 win in a well played game by both teams.  The Crush sent Steve Garvey to the mound for his first start of the 2011 season. He was matched up against Bill Dacier for the Smoke.  It was a shaky start for both pitchers, each giving up three runs in the first.  Kevin Masterson started the scoring with an RBI single for the Smoke, followed by a 2 RBI single by newly acquired slugger Jay Hughes.  The Crush answered back with a leadoff single by Chris Mackenzie, followed by back-to-back doubles by Tyler Calkin and Lance Madden.  After a Derek Deranian strike out, Tony Salamone singled and Madden advanced to third.  Looking to help tie the game, Salamone broke for 2^nd before Dacier delivered his next pitch.  He stayed in the run-down long enough for Madden to score and tie the game at 3-3.  Dacier settled in and kept the Crush bats at bay as his teammates built a 6-3 lead with 5 hits and 3 runs in the 3^rd inning.  The Crush added 2 more to close it to 6-5 before the Smoke picked up a big insurance run in the 5^th.  With a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the 7^th and two outs, Lance Madden tried to start the comeback for the Crush.  He reached on a single and advanced to 2^nd then 3^rd on defensive indifference.  Deranian drew a big walk and then stole 2^nd base to get in scoring position for Salamone, who was 3 for 3 on the night against Dacier. Manager Kevin Masterson made the move to the bullpen to bring in veteran Mark Haggerty.  Haggerty induced a game ending pop-up to strand the tying run on second and put an end to a great game.

August 18th

Silver Bullets (2-4) - 6

Maronis (3-3) - 3

In a rematch of a 7-4 Maronis victory just 2 weeks prior, both teams sent their aces to the mound. Long time veteran Dennis Doble took the hill for the Bullets against Rob Doherty of the Maronis. The Bullets scored first, when lead-off hitter and speedster Jamie Palmer scored on a Chris Wetmore single. The Maronis answered in the bottom of the 1^st when Rob Doherty helped his cause with an RBI single, scoring lead-off hitter Bryan Harrold.  Harrold had a good night at the plate, going 2 for 3. Scott Khourie kept his hot bat going with an RBI double to put the Maronis up 2-1.  The Bullets came back swinging, scoring 4 runs the next 2 innings, led by Wetmore.  Fresh off the DL, Wetmore went 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs. Khourie did all he could to keep the Maronis in the game going 2 for 3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. But Doble was too strong, going the distance and walking just one batter while striking out 9.

August 22nd

Shamrocks (4-3) - 2

Orange Crush (5-2) - 1

The Shamrocks and Orange Crush sent their top starters to the mound, and they did not disappoint. Justin O’Connor went the distance giving up just 1 run (0 ER) on 4 hits while striking out 5. He did have some control issues with 5 walks, but he made the big pitches when they were needed.  The only blemish of the night was a line drive single to right by Tony Salamone that evaded the right fielder and led to Lance Madden scoring all the way from first. Salamone ended up on 3^rd but was stranded there.  Elliot Daniels matched O’Connor nearly pitch-for-pitch, scattering 6 hits and 2 earned runs over 7 innings. He too struggled with his control, walking six batters.  Both teams played great defensively. It’s not often you see 11 walks in a game and a total of just three runs.  Jared Scribner and John O’Donnell drove in the runs for the Shamrocks.

August 24th

Orange Crush (6-2) - 7

Red Storm (5-3) - 1

It was a battle for first place in the MNBL West division as the Orange Crush faced off against the Red Storm.  Bill Brooks worked the complete game, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, while walking 3 with 3 strikeouts. The only run he surrendered was on an odd sacrifice fly. Jim Juliano hit a popup in foul ground near the bench off the 1^st base side.  Tony Salamone (1B), Alex Woodward (C) and Brooks(P) all broken for the ball with Salamone making a sliding catch. The runner on 3^rd tagged up and scored while nobody covered the plate. Not only did Brooks lead the charge on the mound, but he led the offense with 2 hits and 2 RBIs.

August 30th

Orange Crush (7-2) – 5

Blue Sox (1-8) – 0

The Orange Crush spoiled the return of long time MNBL veteran Justin Donovan.  Donovan was a late addition to Blue Sox roster and was thrown right into the fire, pitching his first game since the end of last season. He gave up 5 runs on just 6 hits and threw very well, aside from a 4 run 5^th inning. Bill Brooks led the offense again for the Crush adding 2 more hits and an RBI. Tony Salamone drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly scoring Tyler Calkin in the first inning.  That was all the run support Steve Garvey would need as he threw 7 shutout innings giving up just 3 hits, while walking 5 to go along with 2 strikeouts. Garvey kept the ball down all night and was helped by great defense in the outfield, particularly by Brian Donohue and Derek Deranian who made some great catches. This was just the 2^nd shutout thrown by an MNBL pitcher this season, and the 4^th since the 2009 season.

August 31st

Black Smoke (3-7) - 2

Orange Crush (8-2) - 4

The Black Smoke struck first with two runs in the top of the 1^st on a one-out double down the right field line by Sean “was it Jim Thome?” Page. Elliot Daniels battled back to strike out the next two batters, leaving Page stranded on 2^nd.  Chris Mackenzie led off the bottom of the 1^st inning with a double.  He advanced to 3^rd on a Tyler Calkin ground out, and scored on a Lance Madden ground out.  Tony “Jose Rijo” Salamone singled, followed by a Derek Deranian double before Mike Killilea delivered the big blow: a 2-out, 2 RBI single to right field off of Bill “Terry Pendleton” Dacier. Daniels made quick work of the Smoke before having to leave the game after the 3^rd.  He handed the game over to Calkin, who pitched four curveball-filled scoreless innings to earn the win. Calkin gave up just 3 hits while striking out 5 and walking 1.