Win comes after 1-1 tie with Thunder on Tuesday
SHORTSTOP Scott Searles (right) had three hits and scored a run in the Merchants 9-4 triumph over the Somerville Thunder last night at Walsh Field. (Donna Larsson Photo)
By DAN MARGARITA
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Merchants got back on the winning track with a 9-4 victory over the Somerville Thunder last night in an Intercity League game at Walsh Field. The victory came after the two teams played to a 1-1 tie on Tuesday night at Trum Field in Somerville.
Wakefield is now 2-4-1 on the season while the Thunder fell to 0-7-1 on the season. The Merchants also ended a five game winless skein.
“I can’t say it was a pretty game. It was an ugly game and a long game. That was Jason Ferlan (pitching) and we wanted to see what he was about. He pitched a good game, threw a lot of pitches and it’s a good sign for him and a good sign for the team,” noted Merchants manager Dave Ellegood.
Wakefield broke through for a run in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Napoli knocked a one-out single to center field and then Steve Langone was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and then, after a strikeout, Joe Barry was hit by a pitch to force in Napoli before a strikeout ended the inning.
The Merchants opened up their lead with five more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Bobby Losanno led off with a walk but was picked off by Thunder pitcher Kyle Turner. Scott Searles bunted for a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mike Sorrentino singled to center fielder Mike Kinch, scoring Searles with Kinch bobbling the ball, allowing Sorrentino to take second. Napoli walked and then Langone reached on a fielder’s choice, forcing Napoli out at second for the second out of the inning.
Josh Band walked to load the bases, and with a 3-2 count and the runners off, Turner threw ball four to John Davison for a wild pitch to score Sorrentino and Langone to make it 4-0. Barry singled in Band and then Louis Tarantino singled to score Brooks Townsend, who pinch ran for Davison, to make it 6-0 before a ground ball ended the inning.
“I think we left about 13 or 14 runners on, but we grinded and got the hits and we needed something like this to get up to speed and get a lead,” said Ellegood.
Somerville cut the Merchant’s lead in the top of the fifth. Adam Johnson singled with one out and was followed by Wakefield resident Shawn Smeglin, who singled to left. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Devan Jones reached on an error that scored Johnson and Smeglin to make it 6-2. Jake Cintolo then singled and Rob Caggiano reached on an error that brought in Jones with Someville’s third and final run of the inning.
“We made some errors and let them creep back in. So it wasn’t a clean game but at this point we’ll take the two points and try to grind out,” Ellegood said.
Wakefield got a run back in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Sorrentino singled but was caught for the second out rounding second too far when Napoli reached on an error. Napoli went to second on a wild pitch and then Langone reached on an error. Band singled in Napoli to make it 7-3. Davison drew a walk but a strikeout ended the inning.
Somerville picked up its last run in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Luke Ronchi reached on a dropped third strike. Johnson and then Smeglin doubled down the left field line to score Ronchi, but that would be it for Somerville.
The Merchants picked up two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Tarantino drew a leadoff walk and made it all the way to third on a wild pitch. Losanno doubled to center to score Tarantino. Searles followed with a bunt single to the third base side of the infield. After a strikeout, Napoli walked to load the bases for Langone, whose sacrifice fly to center brought in Losanno to make it 9-4, where it would stand.
Brendan DeLeire took the mound for Wakefield to close out the game.
“We made it 9-4. Josh Band had a nice clutch hit and we had a couple of key hits that opened up the door a little bit. That was a great job by Brendan DeLeire there. He threw strikes and we really haven’t seen much of him. He came in and did a great job just throwing some innings and getting some outs,” praised Ellegood.
At Trum Field in Somerville on Tuesday night, the Wakefield Merchants and the host Thunder played to a 1-1 nine inning deadlock.
Jonathan Richard went the entire nine innings for Somerville giving up just six hits while striking out nine and walking one. The run surrendered was unearned.
Christian Ferlan (seven innings) and Kevin Flight (two innings) combined to allow only five hits for Wakefield. Ferland gave up one run while walking seven and striking out four. Flight struck out two batters in the two frames he pitched.
James Ramsey knocked in Losanno for the Merchants’ run in the first inning.
Ronchi’s single, scoring Cintolo, tied the game for the Thunder in the fifth inning.
Searles had two hits, while Losanno, BJ Neil, Napoli and Davison each had one hit for the Merchants. Napoli and Davison both doubled and Losanno stole a base.
For Somerville, Cintolo had two hits, while George Crowley, Ronichi and Douglas Diaz each had one hit. Jones stole a base.
The Merchants take the field again tonight when they face the Reading Bulldogs at 8 p.m. at Endicott College.
(Sports Editor Jim Southmayd contributed to this report).
Published in the June 18, 2015 edition
