Move on to meet the Unknowns in the Twi Finals
BRIAN MILLEA threw a complete game shutout to lead the Brewers to an 8-0 win over the Loafers in a deciding game three of the Twi League semifinals. The Brewers will play the Unknowns in the Finals starting on Sunday at 5 p.m. (File Photo)
By DAN BYRNE
WAKEFIELD — Playoffs in the Twi-League are usually never short on drama, but the Brewers made no scene in their dominant 8-0 victory over the Loafers in last night’s decisive game three in their semifinal matchup to see who would advance to face the Unknowns in the finals.
Brian Millea was on the mound for the Brewers and pitched a complete game shutout.
His counterpart, Dan Cardillo went five innings giving up all eight runs the Brewers scored.
Millea got the game going by striking out Jared Pavey, the only batter he would fan all night. Afterwards, James Beaton singled and stole second base to move into scoring position, but a pair of ground outs to the left side of the infield stranded Beaton and the Loafers went quietly.
On the other side, Colin Jaena worked a walk to lead off the bottom of the first against Dan Cardillo. John Zagaria sacrificed him up to second base and eventually Jaena would advance to third on a passed ball. He came home on an error to score the first run for the Brewers, but Jaena would be heard from again, as his night was just getting started.
Millea surrendered a pair of singles in the top of the second but was able to get out of a first and third jam, leaving a runner stranded at third base for the second straight inning.
The Brewers had their big rally in the bottom of the second. After Cardillo got lead off hitter Mike Fiore to retire on a come-backer, he surrendered a four pitch walk to Mike Greer. Timmy Hurley singled to make it 1st and 2nd before Tom Leahy struck out for the 2nd out of the inning.
That brought Jaena to the dish with two on and two outs. After fouling a few pitches off, Jaena lifted a towering deep fly ball up into the wind in right. The ball didn’t come down until it struck the tree in fair territory (which is played as a wall in the Twi-League). By the time it came down and was gathered by the right fielder, Jaena was chugging around third base. The relay throw wasn’t even close as Jaena rounded the bases for a three-run homer and a 4-0 Brewer lead.
The next batter, John Zagaria, walked and moved to second on Matt Fiore’s base hit off the pitcher. Brendan Casey singled and Zagaria scored from second. Cardillo got out of the inning by getting John Halsey to ground out to third base.
Jared Pavey led off the top of the third with a sharp ground ball to third base. Brendan Casey’s throw went high and it took an athletic play from first baseman Mike Fiore to come down with it and apply the tag as Pavey tried to get to the base.
The next better James Beaton singled and moved to second on a stolen base. A pair of pop-ups to Fiore at first ended the inning, stranding Beaton in scoring position.
The Brewers failed to score in their half of the third despite Mike Fiore’s leadoff double to the right centerfield gap. Cardillo battled back and retired Mike Greer on a called third strike. Then he got Hurley to ground out to first and Tom Leahy to fly to center to end it.
In the top of the fourth, Millea retired the side on three pop-ups to the left side of the infield.
Cardillo surrendered another run to the Brewers in the bottom of the fourth. After he retired Jaena on a groundout, John Zagaria singled to left. Zagaria was retired on a fielder’s choice that saw Matt Fiore take 1st base. Then Casey worked a walk and Halsey singled to score Fiore from second, bringing the tally to 6-0 at this point. Cardillo ended the inning by striking out Mike Fiore.
Millea got the first two outs in the top of the fifth on ground outs to the left side of the infield. Then with two down, Beaton doubled down the right field line. With Brendan Recchia at the dish, Beaton advanced to third on a passed ball. Millea got Recchia to pop to first to end the inning.
Things got a little loopy in the bottom of the 5th after Mike Greer led things off with a ringing single to left. Hurley blooped a single in between the right fielder and second baseman. Leahy’s fielder’s choice wiped Hurley off the bases and Jaena failed to plate the runners with his tapper back to Cardillo. That brought Zagaria back to the batter’s box and he too skied a blooper to right field. The wind must have been playing some terrible tricks aloft, as Joe Galli had trouble in right field figuring out where it would come down. By the time he picked it up, both Greer and Leahy had touched home.
Cardillo hit the next batter with a pitch but ended the inning by getting Halsey to fly out to center field.
Mike Sorrentino singled off Millea to start the top of the 6th, but Millea got a big hand as Connor O’Brien bounced to second to start a 4-6-3 double play. Millea hit Matt Russo with a pitch for a second time before Galli flied to left to end the inning.
Joe Sorrento relieved Cardillo for the Loafers in the bottom of the 6th and despite surrendering a two out single to Hurley, got Leahy looking at a called third strike to retire the side with three strikeouts.
Millea got the Loafers to go down in order with a pair of groundouts and a pop to shortstop to end it with a count of 8-0 Brewers.
They’ll move on to face the Unknowns, who took down the reigning champion Slappers 2-0 in the other semifinal series. Game one of the Twi Finals is scheduled for Sunday, 5 p.m. at Moulton.