The Generals pulled off a first half sweep of the Mariners tonight thanks to a great pitching performance from Jeff Jensen and a power surge at the plate. The comeback win puts Hamilton at 7-4 for the season, Manchester falls to 7-3-1 but remains in first place at the halfway point. Jensen pitched a complete game allowing 7 hits, 5 runs, 1 BB, and 2 k’s. Marques started for Manchester but did not figure in the decision, DeSilva was charged with the loss in relief.
Manchester/Essex jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Orlando led the game off with a single, followed by a HBP. Cain completed the damage with a 3-run HR to left. The Mariners extended the lead to 5-0 in the third. Buckley got a 2-run single putting the Mariners ahead with a comfortable lead at the time.The Generals started their comeback in the bottom half of the inning scoring 3-runs. Provost broke the ice with a 2 run double, Maloney followed with an RBI single cutting the Mariner lead to 5-3. The Generals took the lead in the following inning scoring 5. Ruggiero led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to left. After a HBP and a single, Provost delivered again with a 3-run HR. Maloney completed the inning going back-to-back with a deep HR to center.
The Generals scored 3 more in the sixth. Jered Stewart contributed a 2-run HR, and Ruggiero delivered another RBI single to close out the scoring. Jensen got the final 3 batters in the 7th to secure the win with the help of nifty double play to end the game. Generals win 11-5 thanks to the 4 HR’s and nice pitching performance. The two teams won’t meet again until the final week of the season, and if this year shapes up like year’s past, there will be a lot on the line.
