Townies Take Game Two of Finals, Series Tied 1-1

On a muggy Monday evening at Evans Field in Rockport, the Rockport Townies defeated the Manchester/Essex Mariners by a score of 7-0. Townies ace, Brent Currier went the distance to record a complete game shutout. Currier allowed only 2 hits, walking 5 and striking out 4 for the victory. For the Mariners, Steve Stout got the nod and went 3 innings, surrendering 4 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, striking out 2, walking six with one hits batsmen in the loss. Ryan Marques went one inning in relief, striking out 2 and walking one. Matt Hildebrand relieved Marques, going the final two frames, giving up 3 runs (all earned) on 5 hits, while striking out 2 and walking 1.

The Townies got on the board in the bottom of 1st inning when Chris Bouchie singled, Brent Currier walked, and Brock Currier reached on an error to load the bases. Dan Greel followed up with a fly ball to right center, which plated Bouchie to make it 1-0 Townies. In the 2nd inning, Brent Currier got into a little one out trouble after Bryan Lafata reached on an error and Hildebrand walked. Currier got out of the inning by inducing two pop ups. In the bottom half of the 2nd inning, the Townies scored two more runs when Mike Bertolino reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and then Tom Robertson got hit by a pitch. On the next pitch, Bertolino and Robertson took off on a double steal, putting runners at second and third with two outs. Chris Bouchie followed with a double into the woods in right field to extend the Townies lead to 3-0.

In the 4th inning, Currier ran into another jam. Mike Cain singled, stole second, which was followed by a walk to Lafata with no outs. Hildebrand laid down a sac bunt, advancing the runners to second and third and only one out. Currier though buckled down, inducing Ty Haskell to pop up to the third baseman and Whit Graham grounded out to first to end the Mariner threat. In the bottom half of the 4th inning, the Townies plated another run when Bouchie doubled to left center, followed by an intentional walk to Currier, which brought Brock Currier to the plate. After failing to advance the runners on a sac bunt, Currier lined a double into the right field woods, making it 4-0 Townies. Rockport would add three more in the 5th inning on a Brent Currier three run homer into the woods in right-center to give the Townies a 7-0 lead.

For the Mariners, Mike Cain and Jeremy Nicastro recorded one hit each, while Rory Gentile (2bbs) reached base safely twice for Manchester. For Rockport, Chris Bouchie (3-5, 2 2bs, 2rs and 2 rbis), Brent Currier (HR, 3rbis, 3bbs), and Brock Currier (2b, rbi) led offensively.

With the series even at 1-1, Game 3 will take place on Wednesday, August 12th, 5:30pm at Memorial Park in Essex. Game 4 will be on Saturday, 2pm at Evans Field in Rockport. If necessary, Game 5 will be on Sunday, 2pm in Essex.