Published in the June 22, 2018 edition.
WAKEFIELD — The Unknowns kicked off their 34th year of existence in the Twi League with a bizarre 6-2 win over the Slappers at Moulton Park on Wednesday.
Adam Chanley went the distance for the Orange, allowing five hits and two runs over seven innings, while striking out seven. Slappers’ hurler Brian Tartarini was the hard-luck losing pitcher only allowing three hits while striking out six.
ADAM CHANLEY pitched a complete game, striking out seven and allowing one earned run against the Slappers to pick up a win for the Unknowns. (Michael Maloney Photo)
The young Slappers jumped out to the early lead in the first inning. Ryan DiBenedetto reached second base on an infield error. Ben Tomsyck then stroked a base hit to left field scoring DiBenedetto, to make the score 1-0 Slappers.
Both starting pitchers settled down through the middle of the game, shutting down both offenses until the bottom of the fifth inning when The Unknowns finally started to figure out Tartarini. Brendan Cobb reached on an infield error. Tartarini got the next two batters to fly out. Dave Lehman, making his Twi League debut, singled down the line, scoring Cobb and tying the score.
Brett Maloney then walked to load the bases. Tartarini got the next hitter, Chad Dwyer to chase a third strike in the dirt, but in true Twi League fashion, the bizarre took over.
Chanley scampered home on the wild pitch to score; Slapper’s catcher Matt Mercurio attempted to throw out Dwyer at first, but the throw sailed into right field, allowing Lehman to score from second. As the Slappers were retrieving the ball back to the infield, Maloney noticed nobody paying attention to him and he ran to the plate ahead of the throw, to score the third run on the play to make the score 4-1.
The Slappers cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth inning. DiBenedetto led off with another single up the middle. Tomsyck ripped a ball to third which eluded the fielder for an error. Chanley then plunked Mercurio to load the bases with no outs. With the infield in, Slapper hitter Jay Cross nudged a ball between the pitcher and first baseman in no man’s land and knocked it out of the fielder’s glove when crossing first base, thus allowing DiBenedetto to score. As this was happening, Tomsyck continued to circle third base and try to score, but Maloney picked up the errant ball in short right field, and threw a missile to Kevin Murray to tag Tomsyck out at the plate. Chanley got the next two batters out to end the threat.
The Orange tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth inning off reliever Robert Shaw. Brian Eriksen walked and sprinted all around the bases on a Cobb double to left field. Murray followed with a double just inside the bag at third to score Cobb and make it 6-2.
The Unknowns next play on Sunday, June 24, 2:30 p.m. at Moulton Park against the Expos in the middle game of the Twi League triple-header jamboree.
