After picking up just one run and five hits over the first five innings, an offensive explosion over the next two innings helped the St. Hedwig Bronco League Cubs grab an impressive 7-6 win over the Dodgers recently.
The Cubs evened their record at 7-7-1 with the victory while the first place Dodgers dropped to 12-3.
Down 3-1 in the top of the sixth, the Cubs’ comeback began with a one-out single by Ryan Jenkins. Jenkins went to second on a passed ball and scored on Andrew Schmitt’s single to center.
Schmitt went to second on the throw home and tied the game on Sean Morgan’s single. The hit parade continued as Daniel Heinrich’s single put runners at the corners.
Jacob Gregg, who relieved Jenkins on the mound in the fourth, aided his own cause with a two-out single to score Morgan and give the Cubs their first lead. Gregg and Heinrich were stranded as the next hitter was retired.
The Dodgers came right back in the bottom of the inning. Alec Celestin picked up his second hit of the game, a one-out double and went to third on the throw. Ed Harkins’ groundout tied the game at four and the next hitter was retired to send the game into extra innings. The Cubs continued to hit the ball well off reliever Jonathan Sarquiz, starting a one-out rally with a Trey Martinho single. Martinho was later caught in a rundown as part of a fielder’s choice play which brought Ryan Apana aboard.
Jenkins’ single and a passed ball moved the pair into scoring position. Schmitt then hit a popup to first base, which was dropped, allowing Apana to score.
Morgan then slapped a two-strike single to plate Jenkins and Schmitt for a 7-4 lead. A groundout prevented further damage.
Schmitt relieved Gregg on the mound and issued a leadoff walk to Spencer Sween. Sween looked to be forced out at second but the ball was dropped, allowing Denzell Loe aboard.
The pair advanced on a wild pitch. The next hitter grounded into a double play, the second out being Sween retired at the plate.
Dylan Loe drew a walk and stole second. The Loe boys came home on Anthony DeMarco’s single, which cut the deficit to one.
DeMarco went to second on the throw home as the tying run. It wasn’t to be as Schmitt struck out the next hitter to end the 1:55 contest. The league leaders drew first blood by scoring twice in the first. Ben Marriott led off with a triple into the left centerfield gap and scored on a wild pitch.
Sarquiz singled, reached third on stolen bases and came home on a Celestin single. Celestin stole second and reached third on an error but was left holding the bag as the next three hitters were retired.
The Dodgers went up 3-0 in the second, Dylan Loe getting a two-out rally started with a single. After a wild pitch, a DeMarco infield single and a shortstop’s throwing error on the play allowed Loe to score.
