It was a rare Monday game for the Worcester Bravehearts as they hosted the New Britain Bees in a Memorial Day match-up at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field, and after a tough opening inning, fans probably would have preferred the usual Monday off-day as the Bravehearts fell to the Bees 4-2.
After arriving at the HIP to find their scoreboard had caught fire things didn’t get much better as WooBall found themselves down 3-0 after one inning. Marc Willi homered in the fourth to make it 3-1, but that would be their only offensive highlight. After New Britain scored a run in the sixth Kobe Stenson scored on a passed ball in the seventh for the 4-2 final.
Highlights/interviews
Tuesday had the Brockton Rox visiting the HIP, and things were going well until the power went out. Like, literally. A power failure in the Holy Cross area resulted in the game being suspended due to darkness in the bottom of the fourth inning with WooBall leading 7-2. The game will be picked up from that point on Wednesday, June 28th prior to the previously scheduled game.
Highlights/interviews
Wednesday it was off to Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut for another game with a late morning start, which was made a little later than the 11am scheduled start because the Bravehearts bus was late picking them up. But the delay didn’t bother WooBall starter Andrew Alameda, who struck out eight batters over five hitless innings to lead Worcester to a 3-1 victory. Axel Johnson picked up his second save of the young season.
KB Peralta got the Bravehearts on the board in the top of the second with a two-run single, and an Andrew Chronister single in the eighth made it a 3-0 ballgame. The Sea Unicorns would grab an unearned run in the ninth for the final.
Alameda was named the FCBL “Pitcher of the Night” for his efforts.
Thursday was a rare off day, and on Friday it was the Westfield Starfires visiting the HIP. Things did not start off well for Worcester as they found themselves down five runs after two and a half innings, but WooBall battled back for a hard-earned 10-9 win on a Matty Warren walk-off sacrifice fly.
A Marc Willi sac fly in the bottom of the first gave Worcester an early lead. Both teams scored twice in the second, with WooBall’s runs coming on an Andrew Chronister RBI single and a KB Peralta fielder’s choice. The Starfires put of six runs in the third, but a Vincent Eramo solo home run made it 8-4 after three frames. After another Westfield run in the fifth Kobe Stenson launched a two-run bomb to make it 9-6.
To the bottom of the ninth the teams went, and with the traditional “Tequila” playing in the background Antonio Morales and Tyler Bastunas both singled and then scored on Stenson’s double to left. Willi then singled and Eramo walked to load the bases. Matt Milone was hit by a pitch to tie the game, setting up Warren’s heroics.
Dennis Colleran earned the win, with James Clark throwing three solid innings to give Worcester a chance for the “Tequila Rally”. For his two extra base hits and four RBI Stenson was named FCBL “Player of the Night”.
Highlights/interviews
It was off to Wahconah Park in Pittsfield on Saturday for the first of two games this weekend between Worcester and the Suns, and it’s always good to get the first win and that’s what the Bravehearts did when they scored five runs in the last three innings to come out on top 8-4.
WooBall took a 3-0 lead after two innings after a run on an infield out and RBI singles by Matty Warren and Tyler Bastunas. Pittsfield would come back to make it 3-3 after six innings, and in the seventh, the Bravehearts took the lead for good when Bastunas singled to knock in a run, stole two bases, and then scored on an error. WooBall put the game away in the ninth on a Daniel Bucciero RBI single and a two-run blast by Greg Gorman.
Randy Guzman earned the win with four innings of relief, striking out seven while allowing just one run. Starter Jack Martinez also pitched well, striking out five and allowing one earned run over four frames. With four stolen bases last night Warren set a new WooBall single-game franchise record.
The two teams were back at it at Wahconah Park on Sunday, and it was a close game until the Bravehearts put up 12 runs in the final two innings to turn a nailbiter into a 16-4 laugher. A Daniel Bucciero double knocked in a run in the top of the first, and in the second Tyler Bastunas added an RBI single and Matty Warren stole home on the front half of a double steal.
In the fifth a Marc Willi sacrifice fly made it 4-2, but the Suns tied it in the home half. The fireworks started in the eighth, with WooBall sending 12 batters to the plate. They got the first run in the frame on a Bastunas bases loaded walk, and the Bravehearts scored two on some Bad News Bears defense by Pittsfield. A Vincent Eramo three-run homer cleared the bases, and two batters later Matt Milone launched a two-run blast.
In the ninth Worcester scored three runs on more poor defense by the Suns, and an Andrew Chronister RBI single made it the 16-4 final. Bastunas earned “Player of the Night” honors.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Andrew Alameda gets the nod this week, allowing just three hit and no runs in a five-inning win. He struck out eight of the 18 batters he faced.
Batter: For the second week ina row, it’s Tyler Bastunas. He went 12-21 (.571) with 4 RBI, 5 BB, 6 R, and 7 SB.
This week’s opponents
Monday off
Tuesday vs Pittsfield, 10:30am
Wednesday vs Nashua, 10:30am
Thursday at Westfield, 10:30am
Friday at Westfield, 6:30pm
Saturday at Brockton, 6pm
Sunday vs Vermont, 4pm
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Monday
Westfield 8, @Pittsfield 4
Brockton 9, @Mashua 1
@Norwich 7, Vermont 2
Tuesday
Westfield 20, @Nashua 1 (7 innings/mercy)
@Pittsfield 17, Norwich 14
Vermont 11, @New Britain 6
Wednesday
@Nashua 6, Brockton 2
@Pittsfield 11, Westfield 2
Vermont 13, @New Britain 4
Thursday
New Britain 9, @Norwich 5
@Pittsfield 14, Westfield 10
Vermont 13, Brockton 1 (7 innings/mercy)
Friday
@Norwich 5, Pittsfield 3
@Brockton 4, Vermont 4 (suspended/rain,5th inning)
New Britain at Nashua, pdd, rain
Saturday
Brockton 10, @Nashua 3
Westfield 4, @Vermont 2
@Norwich 8, New Britain 1
Sunday
@New Britain 9, Brockton 3
@Norwich 6, Nashua 2
@Vermont 5, Westfield 3
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and on Twitter
—
Got something you loved (or hated) about the post? Head on over to the 210Sports Facebook page and leave a comment. You could comment on this post too, but fair warning, the spam filter catches lots of stuff it shouldn’t and it might be weeks before we see your comment. While you’re there, please give the page a like and a follow.
-30-
-30-
210Sports 