SI Yanks Hit Parade Ends Losing Streak

After dropping five straight games the Staten Island Yankees were looking for a change of luck and they got just that as they opened a three-game set with the State College Spikes at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on the campus of Penn State University.

Five Staten Island batters had a multi-hit game as Eduardo Sosa led them with three hits; a single, double and triple; while also walking a walk and scoring two runs and driving in three. Garrison Lassiter was 2-for-6 with a run and 2 RBIs to keep his batting average at .316 for the season. Kyle Roller, Mike Ferraro and Casey Stevenson also had two hits a piece while Kelvin De Leon, Jeff Farnham and Shane Brown each had a hit. In total the Yankees hit fourteen runs and worked two walks and struck out just four times in the game.

Mike Gipson earned the win in relief (Robert M Pimpsner/Gotham Baseball)

The hitting was backed up by excellent pitching for the Baby Bombers. Kramer Sneed got the start in place of Mike Gipson who was originally scheduled to start. Sneed was fantastic allowing just three base runners, one hit and two walks while striking out six batters in four innings of work. He was relieved by Gipson who came in and finished the game, pitching the final five innings of the game without allowing a base hit and walking three and striking out four.

In the top of the third inning the Staten Island Yankees opened up their scoring. Casey Stevenson led the inning off with a ground ball single to short and quickly moved to third when Shane Brown reached on a force attempt but a fielding error by the third baseman allowed the runners to be safe. Stevenson then came home when Eduardo Sosa reached on a failed force attempt that was caused by a fielding error by the shortstop. Garrison Lassiter was up next and he grounded into a force out to the shortstop that erased Eduardo Sosa. With runners at the corners Kyle Roller then had an RBI single on a ground ball to right field before Jose Mojica reached on a throwing error by the shortstop that brought home Lassiter and moved Roller to third.

Kyle Roller had two hits (Robert M Pimpsner/Gotham Baseball)

In the top of the fifth Staten Island added two more to their lead. Shane Brown worked a walk to start the inning and then scored when Eduardo Sosa doubled to left. Sosa went to third on the throw and then scored on a fielding error by the second baseman on a ball hit by Garrison Lassiter.

The Baby Bombers added two more in the top of the eighth inning with two-outs. Shane Brown singled to right then went to second when Eduardo Sosa walked and scored on a line drive single to center by Garrison Lassiter that moved Sosa to third. Kyle Roller then sent the ball up the middle of an RBI single bringing home Sosa.

Staten Island would plate the final three runs of the game in the top of the ninth inning. Mike Ferraro started it off with a line drive single to left before moving to third when Kelvin De Leon hit a ground-rule double to center. After Jeff Farnham was hit by the pitch Casey Stevenson sent a ground ball to right field for a two-RBI single scoring Ferraro and De Leon. With Farnham at second and Stevenson at first Shane Brown grounded into a double play to move Farnham over to third for Eduardo Sosa who tripled to bring him in and give the Yankees a 10-0 lead.

These two teams meet up again Thursday night with Zachary Varce scheduled to make the start for the Staten Island Yankees and Shane Greene should finish the series on Friday before the Baby Bombers return home to Staten Island on Saturday night.

Robert M. Pimpsner

Robert joins Gotham Baseball after spending 7 1/2 years as the owner and senior writer for Baby-Bombers.com providing independent coverage of the Staten Island Yankees and their alumni for thousands of visitors. In July of 2009 he joined Gotham Baseball, bringing his coverage of the Baby Bombers.

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