JOHN HALSEY follows through on hiss econd RBI base hit of Game 3 last night. The catcher,who also threw out two base runners tring to steal second, has a combined five RBI’s in his last two games. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Game 3. That’s the one you need.
It’s sometimes an elimination game in a five-game series. When it’s not, it always leads to one. The winner of Game 3 in the Twi League Finals is in the driver’s seat of all driver’s seats.
That’s where the Brewers currently reside after another convincing victory last night at Moulton Park, tallying 17 hits and 12 runs batted in on their way to an easy 13-2 victory and a 2-1 series lead. They will have a chance to raise the trophy on Friday night with first pitch at 5:30 p.m.
Combined with the 15 they scored in Game 2, the Brewers have now accounted for 28 runs in their last two games (28 in 10 innings to be exact) after being held to just one in Game 1. The good news for Unknowns fans: Game 1 starter Adam Chanley just might have to take the rock for Game 4.
But back to last night. The Brewers had 10 batters hit. Nine of them had at least one RBI.
Ironically, the only one who didn’t was one of their best players on the night, shortstop Matt Fiore, the number two hitter who took on the role of table setter in this one with three base hits and three runs scored.
Also ironically enough, (pro tip: be confident about the use of irony, nobody knows the real definition), it was the Unknowns who got on the board first, same as in Game 2 when they jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Brew Crew went off.
This time, it was a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning off Brewer starter Brian Millea.
To say Millea (7IP, 6H, 1ER, 9K) settled in is an understatement. He allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) in that first frame before shutting out the Orange the rest of the way, surrendering just three more hits through the next six innings and cruising to a complete game victory.
The Brewers’ offense wasted no time in reclaiming that lead, putting three runs up on Unknowns starter Bobby Pearl in the 1st before adding three more in the 3rd, two more in the 4th and five more in the 6th for good measure.
If forced to pick the standouts, catcher John Halsey comes to mind, going 3-for-4 with two RBI’s while also throwing out two attempted steals. Colin Jaena also stepped up again going 3-for-3 with two RBI’s.
Chris Coombs and Mike Greer both went 2-for-4 with an RBI; Timmy Hurley had a hit and two RBI’s; Mike Fiore, Tom Leahy and Brendan Casey all added RBI knocks.
They were clutch, efficient and all business.
The Unknowns had two players with two hits: Brandon Panarese (2-for-4) and Brett Maloney (2-for-4, RBI).
Panarese led off the game with a double and after Pearl moved him over to third with a groundout, Maloney brought him in with a base hit up the middle.
Millea got his first of nine strikeouts by sitting down Geoff Eriksen but Kevin Murray hit an infield single that ate up Brendan Casey at third after a wicked Moulton hop. Casey’s throw got past first base which gave Maloney home plate and a 2-0 lead. Millea struck out Luke Martin to end it.
Coombs started the bottom of the 1st with a walk after a great at-bat. Matt Fiore hit a single through a hole at second. The Orange turned a 6-4-3 double play on Casey but just like in Game 2, the Brewers were clutch with two outs. Halsey brought home Coombs on a base hit up the middle and Mike Fiore hit an RBI triple down the right field line in his only at-bat of the day to tie it at 2-2. Hurley kept it going with another single up the middle to take a 3-2 lead. Pearl got Greer to ground out to Eriksen at short to end it.
Halsey caught Bryan Butt trying to steal for the second out of the top of the 2nd and Millea later got Panarese to hit into a fielder’s choice for the third out. Pearl sat the Brewers down in order in the bottom half.
An error and a walk put Unknowns at first and second with two outs in the 3rd but Millea got Martin to fly out to center to end the threat.
The bottom of the 3rd started with another leadoff hit, this time from Matt Fiore. Halsey later singled with one out to put runners at first and second.
Cue Colin Jaena.
One of the younger Brewers was a tad late for this one. He ran in from the parking lot just as Matt Fiore was reaching base and immediately took the spot of an injured Mike Fiore in the lineup. With a plastic gallon of water and a hop in his step, Jeana reminded some of the older Brewers – most of whom have to stretch or at least get warmed up like the rest of us – what it was like to be young, taking maybe one-and-a-half practice swings before finding himself in the box where he took a huge cut on the first pitch and connected for a two-RBI double. He flew over to third base on the throw home just for good measure.
Hurley followed with a grounder to Maloney at second who figured he could get a cold baserunner breaking for home, but of course, Jaena was already in mid-game form, easily beating it to the dish and finding himself back on the Brewer bench celebrating with amused teammates just seconds after getting to Moulton in the first place.
Just like that, the Brewers were up 6-2.
Millea took it from there, sitting down the Unknowns in order in the 4th. He allowed two base runners in the 5th but got Eriksen to ground into a 4-6-3 double play after a great turn by Fiore at second base.
Brendan Casey almost connected on his third homer in three games when he sent another deep to the left field fence off new Orange pitcher Scott Elwell. It stayed in the yard for a double that scored Coombs who had previously singled. Halsey brought home Casey with a base hit to make it 8-2.
Millea racked up four strikeouts in the 6th. He got Murray, Martin and Tom Caron swinging. Caron reached on a dropped third strike but Millea did the same to Butt to strike out the side.
The Brewers added five in the 6th off another new pitcher. Fiore led off with a single and Halsey reached on an error. A Jaena single loaded the bags and Hurley was hit by a pitch for an RBI.
Greer and Leahy followed with RBI singles for an 11-2 score. Chris Casey hit into a fielder’s choice but got a run home and Coombs finished up the scoring with an RBI base hit to account for the 13-2 score.
Halsey threw out another runner trying to steal second in the 7th and the game ended on a Maloney pop up.
If the Unknowns can extend the series with a win in Game 4 tomorrow night, the 5th and deciding game will take place on Sunday, 5:30 p.m. at Moulton.