Newport Gulls Sweep Sanford Mainers in Triple-Header

The Newport Gulls swept a triple-header against the Sanford Mainers at Cardines Field on Monday, July 30. The Gulls came back in the late innings of game two and three to defeat the Mainers 5-4 and 6-4, to complete the sweep after winning game one 8-3, a re-start of a contest that was suspended in extra innings on the road in Sanford on July 26.

The Newport Gulls improved to 30-10 overall this season, with the trio of wins, while the Sanford Mainers fell to 14-25 overall with the losses. With the victories, the Gulls locked up the Eastern Division title and will host a home NECBL playoff game on Friday, August 3.  

Newport right-hander Daniel Wright came in, making his first relief appearance of the season, to finish off the Mainers in the bottom of the 11th inning in game one, which re-started where play left off on the 26th in Sanford. Needing three outs to preserve the 8-3 victory, Wright struck out the first two batters before allowing a single to shallow left to Sanford shortstop Jose Torralba, before striking out catcher Brett Armour on three pitches to end the contest.

Newport outfielder Charlie White hit a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, his second homer of the season, and designated hitter Brett Winger completed the three-run ninth inning rally, which included a pinch-hit single by catcher Jeff Melillo to start the rally, with an RBI single to left to give the Gulls a 5-4 comeback win in game two. Reliever Brett Graves, who tossed a pair of shutout innings, picked up the win, improving to 1-0 this season. Sanford reliever Rohn Pierce (2-3 overall) took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits in the seventh inning.

The Gulls and the Mainers went back-and-forth in the nightcap, as there were five lead changes before Newport pulled ahead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sanford jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Newport starter Michael Johnson, who earned a no-decision lasting just three and a third innings, before the Gulls tied it up with an RBI single by outfielder Rob Ort in the bottom of the second inning. An RBI single later in the inning by shortstop Blake Butera gave the Gulls a 2-1 lead, but the Mainers responded with a run in the third to even the game at 2-2.

A solo homerun by Sanford catcher Nate LaPointe in the fourth inning put the Mainers ahead 3-2, as the teams traded runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. With the score tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Butera and second baseman Conor Keniry scored the go-ahead runs on a bases-loaded walk by Winger and an RBI groundout by first baseman Steve Anderson.

“Sanford played us well, they’ve played us well the whole year,” said Butera, who went 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI and a walk in the victory. “Today their pitchers did a good job, and we did whatever we could to get runs.”

Despite lasting just over three innings before being lifted due to a high pitch count, Johnson allowed just three runs on five hits, with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Johnson struck out four batters in the first inning alone.

Reliever David Schmidt relieved Johnson, lasting two and one-third innings, allowing one run on five hits, with three strikeouts and a trio of walks. Caleb Kellogg closed out the final inning and one third for the Gulls, picking up the win in relief, improving to 3-0 overall this season. The win was Kellogg’s second of the day as he picked up the win in the suspended game that was completed in game one. 

Sanford starter Nate Jones gave up four runs on eight hits, with two strikeouts and a trio of walks over five innings of work. Reliever Tripp Davis, who took the loss, falling to 2-5 overall this summer, allowed two runs in the sixth without allowing a hit due to four walks in the frame.

The Gulls will return to Cardines Field on Wednesday, August 1 as they take on the New Bedford Bay Sox on Host Family Appreciation Night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The Gulls will play a makeup game at home on Thursday, August 2 against the Vermont Mountaineers before the NECBL playoffs begin at Cardines Field on Friday, August 3.