Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters
BURLINGTON — The Williamsport Crosscutters scored seven runs with two outs in the fourth inning and went to win a New York-Penn League six-inning rain shortened contest 9-2 over the Vermont Lake Monsters Wednesday night at historic Centennial Field.
A one-out double, single and walk loaded the bases for the Crosscutters in the fourth before Keudy Bocio sacrifice fly for the second out cut Williamsport deficit to 2-1. Before Vermont could record the final out of the inning, the Crosscutters tacked on six more runs on Jesus Henriquez and Rafael Marchan RBI singles, Madison Stokes bases loaded walk and a Edwin Rodriguez three-run bloop double to shallow centerfield.
Vermont had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third when after an Aaron Arruda leadoff walk and Noah Vaughan 399-foot double to center, Devin Foyle and Payton Squier delievered back-to-back sacrifice flies. Squier’s sac fly looked to be a two-run homer, but rightfielder Ben Aklinski leaped at the fence and brought the ball back from beyond the fence.
Lake Monsters starter Abdiel Mendoza allowed two hits with one walk and five strikeouts over the first three innings before Chase Cohen took over in relief to start the fourth. Cohen, who entered the game with two earned runs allowed over his first 11 innings, was charged with all seven of the runs in the fourth on four hits and three walks.
After the seven-run top of the fourth, Vermont loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning on three straight one-out singles but Williamsport starter Ethan Lindow stuckout Arruda and Vaughan to keep the Crosscutter lead at 7-2. Wiliamsport added a pair of unearned runs in the fifth with the help of two passed balls and a throwing error by catcher Jose Rivas.
Lindow (1-1) allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for the complete-game win. After Lindow issued a two-out walk to Jeremy Eierman in the bottom of the sixth, the rain finally made its way to Centennial putting the game into a delay before being officially called.
Henriquez went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Quebec-native Ben Pelletier 2-for-4 with one run and one double for Williamsport (15-22). Eierman was 2-for-2 with the walk for Vermont (17-21), which has now lost five straight games for the second time this season (June 21-25).
The Lake Monsters will look to get back into the win column with the finale of the three-game series against Williamsport 7:05 pm on Thursday. The homestand will then continue with a three-game series against the Batavia Muckdogs Friday-Sunday.