WAKEFIELD — The Unknowns upped their Twi League record to 3-1 after another comeback victory at Moulton Park last week.
The Orange got a tremendous relief outing from Adam Chanley, pitching four innings as the Unknowns picked up the win over the Highlife 5-4 on Wednesday.
The Question Marks came out swinging aggressively against Highlife starter Jake Vezga. Scott Elwell started it off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brett Maloney then punched a hit to right field that enabled Elwell to score the first run of the game. Kevin Murray followed with his first of three hits in the game. After a strikeout, hot-hitting Sean Alexander ripped a line drive down the third base line, knocking in Maloney and giving the Orange an early 2-0 lead.
The Life cut the lead back to one in the bottom of the 2nd inning against Chris Alden who was making his first Twi League start. Tighe Beck slashed a single to center field and then stole second base. Veteran Anthony Caracciolo followed with a soft liner to left field to get Beck to third base. Kevin Canty then singled in Beck for the Highlife’s first run.
The Unknowns added a third run in the top of the 3rd inning. Maloney led off with a smash down the right field line for a ground rule double. Murray followed with another hit to left field, scoring Maloney. Things were clicking for the Orange in the inning, but Vezga got aided by a double play and escaped with no further damage.
The Highlife tied the game at 3-3 in their half inning. Joe Stackhouse got the Life going with a two-out walk. Danny Concessi then lifted an opposite field double to left, plating Stackhouse. Eric DiTonno followed with a line drive up the middle, scoring Concessi to tie the game. Beck and Caracciolo hit back-to-back singles to load the bases, but Alden showed why he was a first round pick by striking out his former head coach at Wakefield High, Canty, to end the inning.
The Unknowns and the Highlife traded runs in the 4th inning to keep the score 4-4. Murray knocked in Elwell for his second RBI of the game for the Orange and Anthony Cecere off the bench, scored Vezga, with a hit for the Highlife.
The Unknowns started the 5th inning with Alexander and Branden Panarese reaching on walks. Canty took over from Vezga on the mound. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and then Canty got Chris Porter to hit a deep fly ball to right field, which was far enough for Alexander to trot home for what eventually became the winning run.
Chanley finished up the remaining three innings with no hits and no runs for his first “W” of the young Twi season.
With that win, their third straight, the Unknowns kept pace with the first-place Brewers who won back-to-back games on Wednesday (14-3 over Expos) and Thursday (9-3 over Slappers) to improve to 4-1 on the season. The Unknowns, with a game in hand over the Brewers, sit in second place at 3-1 followed by the Slappers (2-1) and Highlife (2-3).
The Brewers and Unknowns will meet for the second time tonight, 6 p.m. at Moulton Park. The Brew Crew won the first matchup 9-3 in the season opener on June 20.
