The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes had the winning run on second base, but were not able to cash in as they dropped their second home game to the Cape Catfish in a game with many twists and turns.
Drew Detmers (0-1) looked solid on the mound in his second start of the season and his first at Robin Roberts Stadium. He struck out seven in five innings without walking a single batter.
Griffin Lohman got the ball for the Catfish, going four scoreless innings, but a pitch count of 78 led to his removal before he could qualify for the win.
Extra base hits were key for the Catfish, with all of their runs being scored as a result of them.
Both pitchers controlled the first three innings, allowing no runs and making clutch pitches with men on base.
Catfish designated hitter Dante Zamudio had his way with ‘Shoes starter Drew Detmers on Monday night connecting on a solo home run, and an RBI double in his second and third at bat.
Zamudio’s home run occurred in the fourth inning, with an opposite-field blast going directly over the 35×10 (350) sign in right field to give the Catfish a 1-0 lead. His run-scoring double to deep left center would stretch the lead to two in the fifth inning, scoring Lane Crowden.
The Catfish led 2-0 when rain began to fall after the fifth inning, resulting in a delay that lasted 1:20.
Detmers was removed after the rain delay, Evan Long relieving him.
Long threw a 1-2-3 sixth, before running into trouble when Lane Crowden hit a booming triple to center field, and scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat, putting the Catfish up 3-0 as it became stretch time at the ballpark.
The stretch was a must for the Horseshoe offense as Nathaniel Martinez and Jake Curtis were brought in on a line drive double to right center by Jayden Myren, who had struck out in his three previous plate appearances. Myren continues to swing a hot bat and drive in runs. He is 8-for-20 with eight RBIs through the first six games. The Catfish lead was cut to 3-2.
The extra base hits would not stop for the Catfish, as Kolton Poorman got on with a double to right center, before scoring on a tough play missed by Payton Pennington with two outs.
The ‘Shoes would look to rally down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth. A hit by pitch and a base hit led to Jayden Myren being the winning run with two runners on and one out. Myren would add to his RBI total, but only on a sacrifice fly to right field, and Nathaniel Martinez would score to make it 4-3. Cooper Combs struck out swinging to end the game.
That strike out was not an uncommon sight tonight as both teams were missing the baseball.
The ‘Shoes struck out 15 Catfish including seven from Drew Detmers and Evan Long, but the ‘Shoes also struck out 13 times themselves.
Detmers would get the loss for the ‘Shoes. Brayden Polzien (1-0) would get the win for the Catfish, with Austin Brock recording his first save of the season