Slappers, Brewers even through two Finals games

THE SLAPPERS celebrate their 7-1 Game 2 victory at Moulton Park last night. The best-of-five series is now tied at 1-1 with Game 3 scheduled for tomorrow night, 5:45 p.m. at Moulton. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

WAKEFIELD — The Twi League Finals, featuring champions of the last two Twi seasons, has been plenty exciting through the first two games of a best-of-five series.

The 2021 champion Brewers took Sunday’s Game 1 by a 7-5 score, coming back in the 6^th inning to take the lead for good.

The 2020 champion Slappers responded last night at Moulton Park with a convincing 7-1 Game 2 victory to even the series.

Slap starter Benny Tomsyck was in control from start to finish in a complete game victory in which he scattered 7 hits, struck out 5 and walked none.

BENNY TOMSYCK (7IP, 7H, 1ER, 5K, 0BB) earned a complete game victory in Game 2 last night and also added an RBI hit to help the Slappers even the Twi League Finals at 1-1. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

The Slapper bats scratched across one in the 1^st and broke the game open with four in the 2^nd against Brewers starter Brian Millea to take an early and commanding 5-0 lead.

The Slap got even production throughout their lineup with each of their 1-6 batters collecting an RBI hit. Jack Ryan, Tomsyck, Paul McGunigle, Jake Barresi, Nick Porter and Dave Papagni all came through in key situations to help their squad get a game that they needed.

McGunigle was the first to provide such a hit, knocking a triple that scored Ryan who had led off the bottom of the 1^st with an infield single. Millea battled back to get Barresi and Porter and end the threat.

The Slappers made sure to capitalize on their opportunities in the 2^nd. Matt Mercurio started it up with a one-out single and after Andrew Patti walked, the top of the order later went to work with two outs and two runners on.

COLIN JAENA pulls one foul before lining up a triple in the 3rd inning of Game 2 last night. Jaena and the Brewers won Game 1 on Sunday 7-5. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

Ryan’s second single of the day scored “Merc” and Tomsyck followed suit with his own RBI base hit to make it 3-0. After an error led to the 4^th run, Barresi’s RBI single made it 5-0.

The Brew Crew tried to chip away in the 3^rd, getting a run thanks to leadoff hitter Colin Jaena whose deep, opposite field triple put him in position to cross the plate on an ensuing wild pitch.

Tomsyck followed by getting the Brewers’ dangerous 2 and 3 hitters, Brendan Casey and John Halsey to fly out for the final two outs.

The consistent righty maintained that composure in the 4^th when Chris Casey and Mike Fiore put together back-to-back, one-out singles. Tomsyck got Tom Leahy to line out and struck out Drew Betts to end it.

ANDREW PATTI makes a running catch in Moulton Park’s right field last night. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

The Slap bats built off that momentum in the bottom half of the 4^th to leave no doubts that Game 2 belonged to them.

Two infield errors put runners at the corners with two outs setting up Porter and Papagni to connect on the Slap’s 5^th and 6^th RBI knocks of the game.

That was more than enough for Tomsyck who cruised in the final three innings.

The two teams will get an off day today before returning to Moulton tomorrow night at 5:45 p.m. for Game 3.