The Amsterdam Mohawks (6-3) needed a comeback last night to knock off the Albany Dutchmen.

Tonight against the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs (3-4), no comeback would be needed, as six runs would cross the plate in the top of the eighth to give the Mohawks a 14-3 victory at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Both starters, Mohawk Valley’s Marcus Failing (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer CC) and Amsterdam’s Fernando Guerrero (Elizabeth, NJ/Marshall University) found themselves in a pitcher’s duel early on, allowing only two hits apiece, but not allowing a runner to get past third base for three innings.

The Mohawks would end the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, when an error by Thomas Walraven (Pine Bush, NY/University of New Haven) would score Brendan Tracy (Rumford, Rhode Island/Fairfield University). That was all Amsterdam would get, however, as Failing would only allow a stolen base before getting out of the inning. He would not make it any further for the Diamond Dawgs, however, as Failing would be pulled in the fifth for Dylan Angelo (Fort Johnson, NY/Southern Vermont College).

Amsterdam would extend the lead to two in the fifth, as a line-drive single to right by Justin Yurchak (Clifton Park, NY/Wake Forest University) would score fellow Demon Deacon Drew Freedman (Naples, Florida/Wake Forest University). Angelo would face no more batters after that as he was pulled after that for Evan Kissinger (Baton Rouge, Louisiana/LSU-Eunice). They would tack on another one soon after Kissinger came in, as Riley Mahan (Cincinnati, Ohio/University of Kentucky) would score on a double play ball from third. Another run would come one batter later as a fly ball to right-center from Tyler Kirkpatrick (Eagleville, Pennsylvania/Marist College)would score Tracy and put Kirkpatrick at second.

The Mohawks would extend the lead to five when a ball hit to left field by Tom Moore (Burnt Hills, NY/Schenectady CC) laid there as left fielder Sam Machonis (Tampa, Florida/Florida Southern) was injured on the play. Moore kept running and after he kept running, garnered an inside-the-park home run. The lead would grow to 6-0 when a passed ball by catcher JD Osborne (Whitby, Ontario, Canada/Polk State College) would score Aiden McDermott (South Plainfield, NJ/St. John’s University).

The lead grew to 7-0 as Machonis lost a blooper in the lights from McDermott to score Tracy.

The Diamond Dawgs would get on the board in the seventh, as an error by Mahan would score Matt Pagano (Cranston, RI/Marist College). A sacrifice hit by Anthony Herrera (McKinney, Texas/University of Louisiana-Monroe) would score Troy Scocca (Syosset, NY/Fairfield University) to bring the lead down to five, 7-2.

The Mohawks would come right back in the top of the eighth, as an error by Colin Hawk (Beech Grove, Indiana/University of Indianapolis) would score Mahan. They would extend the lead even further, as a double by Scott Manea (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts/North Carolina State University) would score Hunter Tackett (Knoxville, Tennessee/Auburn University) and Kirkpatrick. The Mohawks would bat around in the eighth, scoring six runs before popping out to end the inning.

An RBI single from Pagano would get the Diamond Dawgs their third run of the night in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Malcolm Kelsey (Piscataway, NJ/St. John Fisher College). That would be all Mohawk Valley would get, as relievers Christian Maldonado (Troy, NY/Fulton-Montgomery Community College) and Kyle Smith (Trenton, NC/North Carolina State University) would not allow another run to shut the door on the Diamond Dawgs.

Failing would get the loss for Mohawk Valley. Guerrero would get the win for Amsterdam.

The Diamond Dawgs will try to start the weekend off on a good note tomorrow as they face the Adirondack Trail Blazers. Amsterdam will head back to Shuttleworth Park to try to extend their two-game win streak against the Saugerties Stallions.