By Callum McNamara
Box Score
Humid night doesn’t stop the Mohawks, Filippi and company tame the Dragons
The Amsterdam Mohawks hosted the Glens Falls Dragons on a humid night during July. Wednesday’s night game between the Mohawks and Dragons is their 9th matchup of the season with Amsterdam being big brother to the Dragons, a 5-0 record during the season besides their suspended game last week and prior to Wednesday’s game.
The Mohawks posted a 25-7-2 record and the Dragons struggled coming in with a 10-20 season record before last night’s game. However the record in-season between the two doesn’t speak for itself with how competitive some of the games have been. On the other hand, the Mohawks have had some dominant pitching performances against Glens Falls.
Last week’s game was canceled in the top half of the second after the Dragons built up an early 2-0 lead. Amsterdam got the win last night 8-4, eleven to seven on hits in favor of the Mohawks, and each team having multiple costly errors.
Mohawks strike first
It was all Amsterdam through the first four, kicking Dragons starter Colin McMahon after 3.2 innings pitched giving up six hits, four earned runs, five walks, and struck out four. On the other side of the diamond, Mohawks sent out Jack Kirchner for his seventh appearance of the season. Kirchner ended the game on 4.0 innings pitched giving up one hit with four strikeouts. Luke Filippi started the scoring off with an RBI single to left, scoring Harden. In the fourth, Amsterdam put up a crooked number scoring three runs off another hit by Filippi, this time a double to left and Bray Touchstone later driving in two on a single to center.
Late-inning drama
The Dragons scored two runs in the top of the 5th with an assist on a Mohawks error, cutting the lead to 4-2. In the bottom half of the inning, Filippi wanted to take over this game. Filippi provided another RBI double, scoring Harden giving him his third RBI of the night on as many hits. Glens Falls answered with Nick Gallello homering, providing the Dragons with some hope.
In the seventh Tyree Jackson hit into a double-play but scored a run for the Dragons cutting the lead to a 5-4 ballgame. Amsterdam finally put this late-night game to bed by putting up another crooked number on a couple walks and Chris Hoalcraft hitting a two-run single. Aidan Gallager of the Dragons tripled to right on their last out scoring a run but it wasn't enough with Manny Santos closing the game out.
Relying on the Bullpen
Both teams heavily used their respective bullpens after each side’s starter only going four innings. For the Dragons, Jake O’Connor relieved his starter with 2.2 innings with one run on two hits, walking and striking out one. Aidan Newhall got the loss only scraping together one out on three hits, three runs, one walk, and struck out one. Cameron Billar was the final pitcher used out of the bullpen. Billar pitched two innings with two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.
The Mohawks sent out their best arms last night after Kirchner started. Jesse Kuzmich relieved him, pitching one inning and giving up two runs on two hits and striking out two. Nolan Feidt then came in for the sixth and let up the homerun. Mason Veronezi earned his second win of the season pitching two innings before Manny Santos closed the game out for Amsterdam. Santos came in and gave up a RBI triple but struckout two batters to seal the Mohawks 26th win of the season.
Closing Stretch
The final stretch of the season is upon us with the Mohawks only having four more home games left. Amsterdam heads to Boonville for a matchup against the Lumberjacks tonight, before heading back home for a Friday night showdown against the Oneonta Outlaws at the Rao Family Stadium at Shuttleworth Park. The season series is tied with each of the Mohawks and Boonville earning a win this season. The Mohawks looked to earn their get back after losing to the Lumberjacks on home turf, 13-3. On Friday, the Outlaws come into town trying to get their first win of the season against the Mohawks, losing the first four games. The Dragons and Mohawks see each other yet again in the final games of the season twice.
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