By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — When in doubt, give the rock to Colin Jaena.
It’s no coincidence that Jaena’s run with the Twi League Brewers has coincided with their current dynasty of four straight years as the champs. Just as it felt like the boat was starting to tip after the Brewers were shocked with a 13-6 drubbing by the Loaf in Game 1 on Sunday following the Brew Crew’s undefeated regular season, there was Jaena to right the ship.
The righty scattered 7 hits and 1 run while striking out 3 and walking 1 last night at Moulton as the Brewers beat the Loafers 5-1 to even the series and force a deciding Game 3. The winner of tomorrow night’s rubber match will meet the Slappers in the Twi Finals.
Jaena’s work against the heart of a strong Loafer lineup was the story in this one as he held hitters 3-6 — Dom Sorrentino, Ben Waldrip, Mike Sorrentino and Jared Pavey — to a combined 3-for-15.
Loafer starter Evan Vallera (7IP, 7H, 4BB, 3HBP, 6K, 4R, 4ER) was solid and kept his team in the game all night, but the Loafers could never break through. Their best chance came in the bottom of the 6th, trailing 4-0 and unable to get to Jaena despite a few baserunners throughout the game. Waldrip led off with a double and Mike Sorrentino singled to put runners at the corners but Jaena got a grounder from Pavey, setting up a huge 6-4-3 double play. Waldrip came in to score but the Brew Crew gladly traded 2 outs for the run as Jaena got right back to sailing, getting a fly out to end the inning and finishing it up quickly in the 7th.
The Brewers got one in the 1st on a sacrifice fly from John Halsey, scoring Jaena who also collected 2 hits on the day from the No. 2 spot.
The Brew Crew added 3 in the 3rd to take a 4-0 lead. Chris Coombs led off with a single and Halsey (1-for-1, 2RBI, BB, HBP) brought him home on an RBI base hit. Later with two outs, consecutive walks loaded the bases for Darren Bisso who came through with a 2-RBI single.
Jaena, for lack of a better phrase, took it from there. He allowed just one base runner in the 1st, 4th and 7th while sitting the Loaf down in order in the 2nd. When two got on for the Loafers in the 3rd, 5th and 6th, Jaena was always prompt in finding an out and locking back in.
The result was something more or less expected from Twi fans who have gotten used to seeing the Brewers step up when they have to in the postseason. Perhaps most impressive in Game 2 was that they did it without Chris and Brendan Casey, the usual No. 1 and 2 hitters this summer.
Tomorrow night’s Game 3, 5:45 p.m. at Moulton is now set up to be a classic. It is unclear who will get the ball for either team but more than anyone in recent years, the Loafers have put the Brewers in an uncomfortable position at least. Will the Twi League have a different champion in its 50th season or will it be deja vu all over again?