Park Boys Withstand Late Rally
Always a team that faces a tough challenge, the Pittston Park Boys were able to hold off a late rally by Bunch O'Swingers in the sixth inning to come away with a 3-2 victory. The Park Boys improved their record to 12-1 on the season, while the Swingers dropped to 6-6, slimming their playoff hopes.
Neither team could get a run across during the first two innings, but the Park Boys were able to get on the board in the bottom of the third. Josh Munoz and Dave Kane singled in the inning, and Munoz was able to come around to score on a miscue to give the Park Boys the 1-0 lead.
Two more runs would cross the plate for the Park Boys in the bottom of the fourth inning, seemingly giving pitcher Bob Loftus all he needed for victory. Munoz got his fourth lead-off single of the game, and with two outs, Loftus hit a two-run home run to provide himself a bit of cushion as they took a 3-0 lead.
A scoreless fifth followed, but the Swingers were able to generate a rally in the top of the sixth. A team that has found a way to hit Loftus lately, the Swingers started out with a walk by Dick Noss and then got a double off the bat of Rich Trudnak. Sean Gray then hit an RBI single and Trudnak was able to capitalize on a bobbled ball to score and make it a 3-2 game. A double-play followed, and Loftus got a flyout to end the threat and give his team the victory.
Loftus (5-0) got the complete game win for the Park Boys. Loftus allowed two runs on just two hits, striking out 15 and walking just three.
Loftus topped the team in offense, as well, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in. Munoz had four hits and Kane two in the win.
Noss (2-2) took the hard-luck loss on the hill for the Swingers. He allowed just three runs, scattering nine hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked to in the loss.
Trudnak's double keyed the rally and Gray got the only RBI in the loss.
Pittston will next face the Dragons in a scheduled double-header next Sunday, August 6, beginning at 12 noon. The Swingers's next opponent will also be the Dragons, as they will face them in a double-header on Sunday, August 13, with the first pitch scheduled for 6 pm. They will need to sweep the Dragons in that double-header, as well as the one on Sunday, August 20 and hope for some help in order to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since The League began back in 2004.
| BOX SCORE |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
R |
H |
E |
| Bunch O'Swingers |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| Pittston Park Boys |
0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
Date: July 30, 2006
Time: 5:00pm
Venue: East End Minor League
| Bunch O'Swingers |
| Hitters |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
K |
| Mike Reese |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| Bill Smith |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| Dick Noss |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
| Rich Trudnak |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| Sean Gray |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Totals |
19 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
15 |
2B: Trudnak
|
|
|
| Pittston Park Boys |
| Hitters |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
BB |
K |
| Josh Munoz |
6 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Tom Pisano |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Dave Kane |
5 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Bob Loftus |
4 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
| Bobby Loftus, Jr. |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Jason McCracken |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Totals |
24 |
3 |
9 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
HR: Loftus
|
|
| Bunch O'Swingers |
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
PT |
| Dick Noss (L) |
5.0 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
| Pittston Park Boys |
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
PT |
| Bob Loftus (W) |
6.0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
0 |
|
