Cleveland Scores Early in Close Win
August 9, 2011 - While Johnstown was able to roll past Cleveland last year, a much strong club from Chardon, Ohio put up big numbers in the first two innings and held off Johnstown's come back to earn their second win of the tournament. A fast start and a couple home runs from the Blizzard kept the local fans quiet for most of the game, and a slew of stranded runners pervented the Pharmacists from completing their comeback. Cleveland will await their opponent for tomorrow due to rains today, but Johnstown knows that they will host Brooklyn at 6:30pm at the Point Stadium.
An Avalanche of Early Runs
Cleveland starter Matt Palko wasted no time and quickly retired the first three batters of the game. The bottom of the first would last much longer and Johnstown starter Mike Mulvey struggled to contain the Blizzard bats. After a pop-up to start the inning, Jack LaMarca hit a 375-ft home run to left-center.
"Jack was seeing the ball tonight. That first home run he hit to left-center was just a bomb," said Cleveland manager Don Navatsyk.
Andrew Frey reached on an error and Kevin Bernay walked. After striking out Jim Jaksa, Mulvey gave up an RBI double to Aaron Miller. Bryan Gregorich then doubled off the Screen Monster for a third run. Ryan Weed finally grounded out to end the inning with 2 men still on base.
Another 3-batter inning the top of the second kept momentum with the Blizzard who would add three more runs. First, Anthony Tomasone doubled to left. Phil Navatsyk singled up the middle and Jack LaMarca earned his second RBI of the game with a single to right field. Chris Pfeil decided to go to his bull-pen early and brought in right-hander Nate Kohuth. His first batter--Andrew Frey--singled to left field, and Bernay then blooped a single to left, scoring another run. With the bases loaded, both Jaksa and Miller flew out, but Kohuth then walked Gregorich for a third run. As in the first, Weed ended the inning on a ground out, stranding three. It was the second time in two games that Martella's found themselves trailing early.
"Unfortunately that’s been a bad habit of this team," said Pfeil. "We’ve been falling behind, but we’ve always had the ability to put bunches of runs together and get back in the game, and I think tonight we just dug ourselves too big of a hole."
Johnstown Recovers and Responds
Three-up and three-down for Martella's in the third, but this time Kohuth answered with his own quick inning courtesy three ground-outs to shortstop and thirdbase.
"Nate did a great job for us," said Johnstown manager Chris Pfeil. "He kept them off balance [and] gave us a shot to win the game.
Finally a hit for the Pharmacists int he fourth, as Dan Abbenante led off with a single to center. Max McDowell followed with a single up the middle and Scott Dixon singled to center to score a run. Runners advanced on a wild pitch before Mike Cima popped out. David McKolosky then grounded out, but managed to get McDowell across the plate to cut the lead to 4. Cleveland first baseman Kevin Bernay then robbed Brett Quiggle of a hit by diving to snag his line drive past first. Kohuth retired Cleveland in order again in the fourth.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Jesse Cooper hit the ball to right field which was missed by a diving Tomasone. Cooper ended on third with a stand-up triple. Abbenante then singled him home. McDowell was hit by a pitch, but both he and Abbenante were stranded. Cleveland had 1 hit in the bottom of the inning, but could not bring him around.
On to the sixth, where Palko used a double-play to send the Pharmacists down in order. Back-to-back hits by Navatsyk and Bernay earned a run back for Cleveland in the bottom of the sixth.
Martella's Leaves Them Loaded
Martella's Pharmacy had their best chance for a come back in the seventh. Matt McMillen walked before Max Stasiser struck out. But Cooper walked after a long at-bat, and Abbenante reached on a perfect bunt down the third base line. After a pitching chance to bring in Jesse Coblentz, Max McDowell reached on an error by Coblentz as he failed to beat McDowell to the bag. A run scored on that play, but the Blizzard prevent a score on the next play by making a force out at time. With two outs and the bases still loaded, Mike Cima worked into a full count. He was called out on a pitched that seemed low to most observers. Johnstown manager Chris Pfeil was upset with the call and loudly expressed his frustration to the home plate umpire. Martella's left the bases loaded and still trailed by three.
In the bottom of the seventh, Bryan Gregorich homered off the light pole in left-center to regain the four-run lead. Miller and Weed grounded out, while Tomasone struck out.
In the eighth, McKolosky walked to lead off, and scored when Brett Quiggle smashed a triple off the all in deep right field. Quiggle then scored as McMillen hit one up the middle. Despite earning a baserunner who was hit by a pitch, Martella's stranded 2 more runners and still trailed by a pair. Cleveland did nothing offensively in the 8th, thanks in part to Matt McMillen's great diving grab of LaMarca's liner.
Turosky Strikes Out Two for the Win
Finally the ninth, where Scott Dixon led off with a single to center. Kyle Zambanini was brought in to pinch run. Cima then walked, and Ben Weimer was brought in to pinch run for him. A sacrifice bunt by McKolosky moved both runners into scoring position. However, the rally ended with a pitching chance for Cleveland. Bill Turosky came in with 1 out and struck out the only two batters he faced. Both were on full counts, and the second--against McMillen--was finished on a check-swing. Martella's ended the game with 11 men left-on-base.
"He's had a back injury, so he hasn't thrown in three weeks," explained Navatsyk of closer Turosky. Turosky was injured while working at a golf course during the summer. He mised the Altoona Regional due to his injury.
The final few innings brought about more controversy over the officiating. Several arguable calls in the home opener and in this game had both managers paying attention to the third team on the field. Johnstown manager Chris Pfeil was not pleased.
"I’ve been less than impressed with the umpiring," said Pfeil. "You’ve got the bases loaded, a full count and two outs and there's a ball the catcher picks up out of the dirt and you get rung up for strike three; those kinds of things are tough to overcome." Navatsyk was more empathetic.
"The home plate ump--that's a tough job back there," said Navatsyk. "There were a lot of pitches that were borderline, which there are going to be when you have good pitchers and good hitters who aren't going to be chasing bad pitches, so he took some abuse tonight from both sides but I thought he did a good job."
While the officiating will always play role in the game, the ability to score and prevent runs rests on the players and coaches.
"We didn’t make a couple plays in the first inning, and then they added another 3 in the second and we dug ourselves a whole," said Pfeil. "We battled back, but I guess the story of the game is leaving some guys on base in some critical situations down the stretch."
With the win, Cleveland remains undefeated and will play the winner of Altoona/Youngstown tomorrow at 3:00pm. Navatsyk's team is looking like contendors now, as they are 6-0 in AAABA games this year, including their 4-game sweep of the Altoona Regional. A win at Point Stadium against Johnstown is an extra honor for the Blizzard.
"My kids are so blessed and thankful to be able to play in front of this crowd tonight," said Navatsyk. "It was a great game. Martella's is a very good team. They're very, very well coached and it's obvious the guys over there know baseball."
Johnstown will face Brooklyn at 6:30pm at the Point Stadium in an elimination game. The band Ole 97 will perform following the game.
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