Published in the July 21, 2016 edition

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — It was a memorable day for the North Reading A’s baseball team on Sunday afternoon. After the first inning they trailed the host Manchester Marlins, 7–0, at Gordon College in Wenham. However, the A’s chipped away and pulled out an unlikely, 11–8, victory to snap a two-game losing streak.

“We showed our toughness this game,” said A’s player- manager Joe Dardeno. “We have some young players and I have the upmost confidence in them and this game showed why.”

The A’s scored twice in the second inning, five times in the fifth, three in the sixth and one more in the top of the seventh.

The Marlins other run came in the bottom of the fourth.

North Reading had 12 hits in the game led by Xavier Nunes who went a perfect 3 for 3 with four runs batted in as he had a two-run single and a two-run homer. Anthony Capuano was 2 for 5 with a double and two-run homer and finished with three RBI. Ben Harrow, the team leader in batting average, continued his hot hitting going 2 for 5 with one RBI.

Bob Sullivan was the winning pitcher in relief going the final 3 2/3 innings in relief of starter Anthony Lupi.

“That was his longest outing of the year,” pointed out Dardeno, as Sullivan improved to 2-1 on the hill.

Sullivan gave up only one run allowing his teammates to fight back.

With the win, the A’s improved to 7–13 in the North Shore Baseball League as they are in eighth place (the top eight teams make the playoffs).

Last Saturday afternoon, the A’s were blanked, 10–0, by the Kingston Night Owls to end a five game home stand at North Reading High. This game was a five inning mercy rule game.

The defending champion Night Owls had 11 hits off A’s pitching while the A’s offense was no hit by pitcher PJ Singster who improved to 4–0. Singster did not allow a walk and struck out five.

“He wasn’t overpowering, but our hits could not find the holes,” pointed out Dardeno. “He is a very good pitcher.”

Alex Erwin got the loss on the bump for the A’s going two-plus inning as his record dipped to 1–2.

It was the second loss in a row for A’s against Kingston as the league leading Night Owls won, 7-1, last Wednesday night. On the mound, Lupi fell to 2–4 as the Night Owls had 13 hits.

The lone A’s run came in the first inning as Mike Bailey had an RBI double to score Harrow, who went 2 for 3. Kevin Rooney was also 2 for 3 as the A’s finished the night with eight hits.

The A’s will be on the road this Friday night at 6 as they visit Swampscott at Phillips Park. Next week, they will play Malden in a pair of make-up games (dates and times to be determined) to wrap up the regular season.