By Cody Marshall
Box Score
Fernando Guerrero (Marshall) pitched six innings, struck out seven and didn’t allow a hit as the Amsterdam Mohawks beat the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs 6-0 on Friday night.
The game was a no-hitter with 2 outs in the 8th until Joe Randall (Fairfield) gave up a single to Nick Rybarczyk (Marist). Gurerrero went the first 6 innings, walking 1 and striking out 7. Joe Nellis (Herkimer) struckout 2 in the 7th. Randall allowed 2 hits in the 8th and Kyle Smith (NC State) gave up a single in the 9th as those 4 pitchers combined for a 3-hit shutout of the DiamondDawgs.
Fernando Guerrero pitching during Friday's game.
Handsome Monica (Arizona) hit two home runs to lead the offense that was kept in check by DiamondDawgs starter Adam Ashenfarb (Union) for the first four innings. Monica finished the night 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
It was a pitcher’s duel for the first four innings, until Monica lifted a soft fly ball that ended up carrying over the right field fence to break the scoreless tie. Aidan McDermott (St. John’s) would follow with a walk before being advanced to second on Drew Freedman’s (Wake Forest) infield single. After a wild pitch, Riley Mahan (Kentucky) singled to drive in McDermott, while Craig Dedelow (Indiana) drove in Freedman with a sacrifice fly to right to put the Mohawks up 3-0.
Monica provided more offense when he homered on a 3-0 pitch, driving it over the left center field wall. Scott Manea (NC State) also scored on the round tripper. The Mohawks added one more in the 7th when Justin Yurchak (Wake Forest) doubled with two outs and scored on Brendan Tracy’s (Fairfield) single after a wild pitch to put Amsterdam up 6-0.
Guerrero earned the win to improve to 3-1 on the season and now has gone twelve straight innings without allowing a run and eight straight without allowing a hit. The loss was charged to Ashenfarb (0-2), who went 5.1 innings, allowed five runs (all earned) on seven hits, walked two, and struck out four.
The Mohawks will look to take their success to the road Saturday when they travel to East Field to take on the Glens Falls Dragons at 7 p.m. Mohawk Valley will continue their road trip as they travel west to play the Utica Brewers at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday.