ROCKPORT-- The Rockport Townies and Manchester Essex Mariners renewed their rivalry on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Intertown Twilight Baseball League Semifinals at Evans Field.
The Townies entered as the No. 1 seed, but they could not solve the league's No. 1 pitcher. Mariners ace Rusty Tucker went the distance, striking out 15 while allowing just two hits and only one Townie reached second base and it came with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Behind Tucker's pitching and a big third and fifth inning, the Mariners took control of the best-of-three series with a 6-0 win.
The defending ITL champs can clinch a ninth straight appearance in the finals with a win on Friday night at Memorial Field in Essex. If the Townies win, a winner-take-all Game 3 will be played on Sunday night back at Evans Field.
Tucker had his best stuff going from the start as he fanned six through the first three innings, striking out the side in the second. He also finished strong, getting five of his final six outs via strikeout. His fastball was all over the strike zone and overpowered the Townies' lineup.
The Mariners, who were the No. 4 seed in the playoffs after finishing the abbreviated regular season with a record of 6-4, took the lead for good in a decisive top of the third inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, Adam Philpott lined a single to right plating Caulin Rogers, who reached on an error, and Kellen Field (single) to make it 2-0. Make Cain then followed and singled in Philpott from second base for a 3-0 Mariners lead.
The visitors tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Rory Gentile singled in Kellen Field, who doubled for one of his game-high three hits on the night. Two batters later, Cain delivered another RBI single to make it 5-0.
The Mariners capped off the scoring in the sixth when Johnny Willcox came in to score on a fielding error to extend the Mariners lead to 6-0.
