THE BREWERS celebrated their 3rd win of the season, 7-3 over the Loafers on Thursday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Brewers, reigning champions of the last two Twi League seasons, are all business in their quest for a three-peat so far in 2023.
With a 7-3 win over the Loafers on Thursday at Moulton Park, the Brew Crew took sole possession of first place with a record of 3-1. The Highlife matched that record with an 8-5 win over the Expos on Friday. Both teams have one more win than the Unknowns in third.
The Brewers got a quality start from Colin Jaena on Thursday with the righty scattering 6 hits and 2 earned runs while racking up 7 strikeouts in a complete game victory.
The Brewers started things up early in this one with 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning. The Loaf got two back in the 2nd but Jaena would never relinquish the lead. The Brew Crew later scored four in the 6th, flipping a tense 4-3 game into an easy-going 7-3 advantage on their way to their third win of 2023.
Jack Berinato hit an RBI double to deep center field for the first Brewer run followed by another RBI double from Brendan Casey. Casey came around to score on a groundout RBI by Drew Betts.
The Loaf’s response in the 2nd was started by a leadoff double from Taylor Robinson who took third on a wild pitch. An infield single in which the throw from short wasn’t in time home gave the Loafers their first run.
Later with the bases loaded and one out, the Brewers traded an out for a run on an Evan McGuire grounder to make it 3-2. Jaena buckled down to get a popup for the final out.
The Brewers scratched across another in the 4th on a sac fly by Mike Greer to score Betts for a 4-2 advantage.
Justin Sencabaugh’s RBI single for the Loafers in the 5th cut the deficit to 4-3 before Jaena again got out of it.
The Brewers broke it open in the 6th started by a leadoff walk from Tom Leahy. Matt Fiore singled and Mike Parent later hit a one-out RBI single. Jaena and Berinato both followed with RBI knocks to make it 7-3.
Jaena finished strong in this one with a 1,2,3 7th as the Brewers continued their mission.
Of course, the rest of league will have plenty to say about that as the Twi League will ramp back up following a 4th of July break with games picking up tomorrow, 6 p.m. back at Moulton when the Slappers (0-2) meet the Unknowns (2-1). The Loafers (1-2) and Highlife (3-1) will play on Friday.