Plymouth Survives In 12 Innings, Forces Game Three Against Newport Gulls In NECBL Semifinal Series

Newport Gulls Press Release

NEWPORT, R.I. – Riding a three-game postseason winning streak, the Newport Gulls were looking to clinch their third consecutive division championship against the Plymouth Pilgrims on Saturday night. However, a sacrifice fly by Logan Koch in the twelfth propelled the Pilgrims to a 7-6 victory, tying the series at one apiece in front of 2,310 at Cardines Field on Saturday.

For the second consecutive game, the Pilgrims were the first team to crack the scoreboard. After a leadoff hit by James Bunn, Pilgrims second baseman Thomas Roulis blasted a two-run home run over the fence in right-center field, giving him his first home run of the summer. Although Gulls starter Mike Mancuso was retire the next three batters, the Pilgrims took an early 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, the Gulls did threaten against Pilgrims starter Andrew Grant. Three batters were able to draw walks against Grant, but a double play off the bat of Blaise Salter and a groundout by Jose Vizcaino Jr. ended the jam, maintaining a 2-0 lead for the Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims offense continued to jump on Mancuso in the third inning. With Bunn leading off with a walk, Roulis drove in his third run of the game on an RBI double. Vincent Guglietti continued the rally with an RBI infield single that careened off the glove of second baseman Reed Gamache. After Mancuso allowed an infield single to Ryan Xepoleas, Gulls manager Mike Coombs turned to the bullpen, bringing in southpaw Mark McCoy to escape the inning. McCoy started his outing by inducing a double play off the bat of Daniel Swain, following that up by striking out Matt Parisi to end the inning with the Pilgrims leading, 5-0.

McCoy shined in his second relief outing of the postseason. In three innings, the southpaw from Wake Forest struck out six batters, and induced three double plays while allowing one run on three hits and two walks in six innings of work.

For the Pilgrims, Grant pitched efficiently against the Gulls lineup. He held the Gulls lineup hitless through the first five innings, and also retired eleven batters in a row between the first and fifth innings. The six innings in which Grant held the Gulls hitless was the longest amount of time the Gulls had failed to secure a hit against any starter during the 2014 season.

Despite not getting a hit in the first six innings, the Gulls were able to score their first run against Grant in the bottom of the sixth. With Tommy Edman standing on third after walking to lead off the inning, Ben Roberts drove him home on an RBI groundout to Roulis at second base.

With two walks and a sacrifice bunt-turned-error by McCoy, the Pilgrims were able to load the bases against the Gulls in the seventh. Eventually, a dropped fly ball by Vizcaino Jr. in center field allowed Bunn to score from third, putting the Pilgrims back on the board. McCoy did retire the next two batters with the bases loaded, but the Pilgrims did take a 6-1 lead over the Gulls.

The Gulls did break up Grant’s no-hitter bid in the bottom of the seventh, when Will Smith blasted a ball high off the left-field wall for a double. The ball appeared to hit off a dangling tree branch in left field, but the umpires ruled that Smith’s hit was still in fair territory. Regardless, the Gulls cut their deficit to 6-2 entering the eighth.

Shea Donlin led off the eighth inning with a double, advancing to third on a wild pitch from Grant. However, after Grant struck out Edman on seven pitches, the Pilgrims made a pitching change, bringing in southpaw Nick Schavone. Schavone induced a groundout off the bat of Roberts, but the play was able to score Donlin from third to get the Gulls within three of the Pilgrims lead.

Vincenzo Aiello, the closer for the Plymouth Pilgrims, came in for the bottom of the ninth to face the middle of the Gulls lineup. Aiello walked Vizcaino Jr. to lead off the inning, allowing a single to Tyler Green shortly after. Smith laced his second hit of the ball game off the wall in center, scoring Vizcaino Jr. to put the Gulls within two. A perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Ryan Tufts moved both runners into scoring position. Eventually, Edman brought home the tying run on a groundout to second. Even though Roberts struck out with Donlin at third, the Gulls roared back to score three runs in the ninth, forcing extra innings.

After seven stellar innings of long relief from McCoy, the Gulls turned to reliever Armand Rugel to pitch in the tenth inning. Rugel struck out Swain, also inducing groundouts against Parisi and Adams. Despite walking Koch, Rugel were able to keep the deadlock intact heading into the bottom of the tenth.

In the bottom of the tenth, the Gulls faced new pitcher Aaron Fossas. Salter led off the inning with a walk, moving to third on a fielder’s choice-turned-error off the bat of Tanner Donnels. After Vizcaino Jr. reached on a fielder’s choice that retired Donnels, Fossas elected to intentionally walk Green. Eventually, Smith flew out to right, but a great throw from Swain nailed Salter at the plate, forcing an eleventh inning.

Another stellar inning of relief from Rugel set things up the Gulls in the bottom of the eleventh. After Tufts led off with a groundout, Donlin singled on a scorcher to right field. Edman flew out to the lip of the grass in center field, setting up a two-out, one-on situation for Roberts. However, Fossas fired a fastball past Roberts, ending the inning while bringing on the twelfth inning.

Rugel came back out in the bottom of the twelfth. Walking Xepoleas to lead off the inning, Rugel allowed a bunt base hit by Swain that enabled Xepoleas to advance to third. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Koch allowed Xepoleas to score from third, giving the Pilgrims a 7-6 lead.

In the bottom of the twelfth, the Pilgrims kept Fossas in the game to face the heart of the Gulls order. After getting Salter to fly out to left, base hits by Donnels and Vizcaino Jr. kept the rally alive. However, Green grounded into a 5-3 double play, giving the Pilgrims a 7-6 victory and redemption in the three-game series.

Tomorrow, the Gulls and Pilgrims will battle in a crucial Game Three at Forges Field. Brett Hanewich, who got the win in his lone postseason start on August 5, will get the start for the Gulls, while the Pilgrims counter with Thomas Jankins. First pitch is slated for 6:35 pm, and the winner of this game will play the Sanford Mainers in the NECBL Championship Series.

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