Generals 5 Mariners 5
Manchester/Essex rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to salvage a 5-5 tie Friday night in Hamilton. Luke Painchaud of the Generals and Brandon Bell of the Mariners both went the distance for their clubs.
Hamilton took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Two walks sandwiched around a Reggie Maidment HBP loaded the bases with nobody out. After a fielder's choice cut down a run at the plate for the first out, Jim Maloney and Jered Stewart contributed back-to-back two run doubles to put the Generals up by four.
The Mariners got a run back in the fourth on an Adam Philpot RBI groundout, but the Generals answered with a run in the fifth with courtesy of a Tim O'Leary two-out RBI single. Nate Bertolino (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 3RBI) cut the Hamilton lead to 5-2 in the sixth with a titanic blast to left.
In the seventh, Whit Graham started the rally by drawing a one-out walk. Bryan Lafata then reached on a chopper between third and short that was misplayed. Rory Gentile followed with a single to center to load the bases with out one. After Rogers flew to right for the second out, Brett Cahill hit a hot shot back to Painchaud that bounced away allowing a run to score, cutting the Hamilton lead to 5-3. Bertolino then tied the game with a hard groundball up the middle into center. Hamilton advanced a runner to second in the bottom of the seventh, but the Rogers made a nice play ranging up the middle to end the game.
