SANFORD ”“ Despite first reports to the contrary, the post-season fortunes of the Sanford Mainers are very much alive, thanks to their resounding 5-1 NECBL playoff triumph over the North Shore Navigators, Tuesday, at Goodall Park.
Rebounding from a gut-wrenching 1-0 loss to the Navs in Game 1 of their best of three East Division semifinal set, the Mainers gritty pitching from Dustin Ramey and Eric Ruth, and run support from Bobby Doyon, to force tonight’s decisive Game 3 clash with North Shore at Fraser Field in Lynn, Mass.
“The momentum’s back in our favor,” said Doyon, whose three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning put the result solidly in Sanford’s corner.
“It (was) an elimination game,” said Ramey, who threw six innings of six-hit, one-run ball. “But it’s another game. You have to have (your) same approach and attack the hitters.”
Ramey’s approach worked just fine, especially after picking a path through a pair of prickly bases loaded predicaments in both the second and third innings.
He induced inning ending double play ground balls in both, allowing a lone run in the third on a sacrifice fly.
“I’m not a strikeout guy,” said Ramey. “I’m more of a contact, ground ball guy. I’ve got a defense behind me, and if I can get a ground ball, they’ll make the plays.”
Said Mainers manager Aaron Izaryk, “I thought he (Ramey) was outstanding. He kept his composure. He’s not a strikeout pitcher, he’s a sinker ball pitcher. When balls go at guys, he’s got outs.”
Sanford answered the Navs run with one in the bottom of the third.
Doyon worked a lead off walk off North Shore starter Kevin Kyle, and later scored on Joe Wendle’s sacrifice fly.
An inning later, after Matt Marra had driven in Doug Elliot with the go ahead run, Doyon clubbed his round tripper over the left field fence.
“I thought it had a pretty good chance,” said Doyon, who homered twice during the regular season. “It felt good coming off the bat. And I knew the ball was up, so that helped. I figured if one was going to have a chance, that was going to be it.”
Ruth took over from Ramey in the seventh and nailed down the win by retiring nine of the 10 Navigators he faced.
CHIN MUSIC: Prior to the game, Wendle was named as the recipient of the Neil Olson Award, for qualities embodying the “spirit of the Sanford Mainers’ organization”. John Webb, who is completing his first season as Mainers’ GM, made the presentation. ”¦ Infielder Marlon Calbi remained under care at Goodall Memorial Hospital for the second day, after being striken over the weekend with acute pancreitis. “Marlon’s in good spirits,” said Izaryk. “We’re all rooting for him to get released from the hospital. Almost the entire team went and saw him at some point today. He’s a big part of our team, and we’re looking forward to getting him back.” ”¦ RHP Mike Augliera will draw the start tonight (6:15 p.m.) against Navs RHP Daniel Patrick. ”¦ Should the Mainers prevail, they’ll meet the defending champion Newport Gulls in the Eastern Division final series, beginning Thursday. Tuesday, the Gulls swept the Laconia Muskrats out of the playoffs with a 3-0 blanking.
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.
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