Locals drop 5-4 game to the Reading Bulldogs

BEVERLY — The Wakefield Merchants had their four game winning streak come to an end in dramatic fashion on Friday night at Endicott College as the Reading Bulldogs came from behind for a 5-4 win in an Intercity League contest.

Mike Taylor’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh scored Cam Farnham and produced the winning run for Reading which increased its record to 8-5-0 on the season.

The Merchants fell to 5-5-1 on the year.

Nick Quatro (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Jack Burke for the Bulldogs. Quatro hurled two innings giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out five and walking two.

Burke pitched the first five innings for Reading surrendering two runs on two hits. He struck out four and walked one. Burke also hit a batter.

Merchants’ pitcher Christian Ferlan (0-2) picked up the loss as he threw six and one-third innings allowing five runs on 10 hits. Four of the five runs were earned. Ferland also had one strikeout and didn’t surrender any walks.

Offensively, Wakefield made the most of the four hits it got to plate its four runs. Three walks, a hit batsman and two Bulldogs errors helped as well.

Josh Band had two hits including a triple. Mike Manoogian and Louis Tarantino had the other two hits.

James Ramsey, Band, BJ Neil and Joe Barry scored the four Merchants runs. Mike Sorrentino, Band, Manoogian and Tarantino drove in a run each. Band also stole a base.

Bobby Losanno, Ramsey and Neil drew the three walks yielded by Reading pitching.

Wakefield scored single runs in the second, third, sixth and seventh innings. The Bulldogs scored two runs in the third inning, one in the sixth and two in the seventh inning to walk off with the win.

Farnham went 3-for-4 and Mike Taylor went 2-for-3 to lead the Bulldogs offensively. Harry Oringer, Zac Talis, Corbin Hyde, Josh Drew and Burton Deady each had one hit. Hyde’s hit was a triple.

Farnham scored two runs, Oringer scored one run, Taylor crossed the plate once and Deady scored a run. Talis and Taylor had two RBIs each and Drew had the other. Farnham also stole two bases.

All four of the Intercity League games that were scheduled for Sunday were rained out. That included Wakefield’s home game against the Watertown Reds. No makeup date has been announced.

The Merchants take the field tonight at 8:15 p.m. when they face the Andre Chiefs at Maplewood Field.

Published in the June 29, 2015 edition