Williamsport, P.A. – Jimmy Romano was able to squelch a 9th inning Spikes rally, giving the Cutters a 8-6 win and ensuring another series win for Williamsport on Friday night.
Zachary Murray had a tough start to his outing, allowing a pair of runs through his first two frames, including a solo home run in the 2nd inning. Murray bounced back to work three scoreless frames.
Murray picked up his league-leading fifth win, allowing the two runs over five innings. He struck out seven, one shy of his season high.
Riley Nelson got the Cutters on the board in the bottom of the 3rd inning with a two-out single to right, scoring Anthony Stephan, to make it a 2-1 deficit.
Williamsport opened it up in the bottom of the 4th inning, plating seven runs in the frame.
Stephan got the scoring started with an RBI single that scored Jackson Mayo, tying the game at 2-2.
Max Mandler added on with a two-run single to center, scoring Cole Russo and Stephan to give Williamsport their first lead at 4-2. It gave Mandler his 9th and 10th RBI on the season.
Riley Nelson plated Carter Dorighi with a single through the right side, making it 5-2.
Mandler found his way home thanks to a wild pitch to make it 6-2. Nelson came in to score on a Spikes throwing error, making it 7-2, and Jackson Mayo capped the scoring with a two-out single that chased home Eric Rataczak to make it 8-2.
Nate Ward battled some command but was able to escape a couple jams over two scoreless frames of relief, using an inning-ending double play to get out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 7th.
Gray Thomas also had to battle command issues, but he wasn’t as fortunate, allowing four runs over an inning plus of relief. Thomas was lifted in the top of the 9th inning with the bases loaded and having already allowed a run to score in the frame.
Jimmy Romano was called upon, and gave up a two-run single to close the gap to 8-6. Romano would get a couple ground ball outs before striking out Cam Bufford to close out the win, earning his fourth save of the season.
The Cutters head to Niles, Ohio for a quick, two-game weekend series with the Scrappers on Saturday and Sunday.
Cutters Carvings – Riley Nelson picked up his second, three-hit game of the season… Zachary Murray has won each of his last three starts, the second longest active streak in the MLB Draft League…Jimmy Romano has converted his last four save chances…
