Jedd Gyorko (West Virginia) hits a homerun to deep center, giving the Whitecaps a 4-2 lead in the 1st

Brewster bats come alive, collect 17 hits to defeat Chatham 9-8

By WADE HUCHOWSKI

wadehuch@gmail.com

June 29, 2009

BREWSTER (Stony Brook Field)- The Brewster bats came alive today, collecting 17 hits through 8 innings of play. Last in the league in batting and averaging less than three runs in the past five games, the Whitecaps managed a 9-8 victory over the Chatham Anglers. This made it Brewster's first win at home, starting the season 0-3-3 at Stony Brook Field.

In the 1st inning, Chatham got two runs on the board off starter Kyle Blair (San Diego). After two quick outs, the Anglers loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. Dean Green (Oklahoma St.) hit a blooper that found some grass in shallow left, scoring Jeff Schaus (Clemson) and Mike Murray (Wake Forest).

The Whitecaps jumped on Anglers' starter Shawn Tolleson (Baylor) in a hurry, scoring five runs on six straight hits to start the bottom half. After two singles by John Barr (Virginia) and Colin Walsh (Stanford), Mark Canha (Cal Berkley) hit a fly ball to right that just stayed in fair territory, bringing Barr home. With two runners on, Tolleson left a pitch out over the plate for Jedd Gyorko (West Virginia) to handle. The majestic shot was driven over the centerfield fence to put three more Brewster runs on the board.

After letting up two runs in the first, pitcher Kyle Blair only let up one more hit for the day. Through five innings of work, Blair let up two runs on four hits and five walks. At that time, Brewster was out to a 7-2 lead, looking to hand Kyle Blair his first win this summer.

Chatham had other plans.

Reliever Danny Sandbrink (Stanford) came in for relief and the A's had his number, scoring three runs to put Chatham back in the game.

The Whitecaps were able to manufacture a run in the 6th. Swinging a hot bat this past week, Colin Walsh (Stanford) stroked a leadoff double over the head of the centerfielder. Mark Canha then pushed him over with a grounder to the right side, leaving way for Jedd Gyorko to drive him in with a single.

The 8-5 lead dissolved quickly for the Caps. Sandbrink was pulled after letting up two singles to start the 7th. Coach Tom Myers brought in Steven Maxwell (Texas Christian), who has been dominant for Brewster this summer, throwing six innings of relief with ten strikeouts while only letting up two hits.

His first pitch today was a heater that Dean Green tagged to left field for an RBI double. The Anglers found themselves in a promising position at that point, down 8-6 with two runners in scoring position and no outs. Anglers' batter Joey Terdoslavich (Long Beach St.) hit a grounder to second baseman Colin Walsh. Instead of getting the easy out at first, Walsh made a heads up play and tossed it home, noticing he had plenty of time to get the runner. After a sigh of relief for Whitecaps fans, Anglers' third baseman Matthew Perry (Holy Cross) came up and lined another Maxwell fastball down the third baseline that rolled into left field, scoring Green and moving Joey Terdoslavich to third. Attempting to get Perry stretching a double, an overthrow and bobble brought Terdoslavich across home to tie the game.

As the 8th came around, the Whitecaps knew they didn't have much time to get the win. Three times this season, tied games have resulted at Stony Brook field because of darkness. After the slug-fest today, sundown was near and Brewster was hungry for a victory.

Gyorko led off the inning with a liner through the left side. After a strikeout, two consecutive walks loaded the bases for the Whitecaps. Pinch hitter Stephen Yarrow (San Francisco) came up looking to drive in the go-ahead run. He found a pitch on the outer half of the plate and skied it into left field for a sac fly, bringing pinch runner Tyler Thornburg (Charleston Southern) across for the winning run.

After the 8th concluded, officials gathered and decided the game be called due to darkness.

It was a sigh of relief for the Whitecaps, who have had nothing going for them these past couple weeks. The struggling Brewster offense finally came around, which they hope to continue tomorrow at home against Harwich.

GAME NOTES:

In his second game for the Whitecaps, Jedd Gyorko reached base four times (3-4 HR, 4 RBI, R, BB)

Lyle Allen hit his first homerun of the season in the 3rd, a solo shot to right that led off the inning

On an attempted steal attempt in the 4th, John Barr slid akwardly into second apparently injuring his leg. He stayed in the game but was noticeably limping

Previous Game Recaps

Stephen Yarrow (San Francisco) takes a pitch to left field for the sacrifice fly in the 8th,

bringing home the game-winning run.

Lyle Allen (Georgia) walks off the field in the 6th

Jedd Gyorko (West Virginia) congratulated after his 1st inning homerun

Whitecaps' starter Kyle Blair (San Diego) [5 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 2 ER]