Brewer gains confidence in close win

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BANGOR – For the Bangor Comrades, a win in Monday night’s American Legion regular season finale gave them a chance to snag the top seeding in the playoffs.

For Brewer, win or lose, the Falcons would still go in as the fourth and final seed.

Statistically, the game was meaningless for the Falcons. But in terms of momentum, emotion, and confidence, it was a must-win.

After a jittery start, the Falcons went at it like there was a championship on the line and gutted out a 6-5 cliffhanger win over their crosstown rivals at a cool but humid and hazy Mansfield Stadium.

“The kids weren’t looking at this as just another game,” said Brewer coach Dave Gonyar. “I think losing a game like this could have hurt us more than anyone else because we’ve had a tough stretch run [4-5 in last nine games].”

Instead, Brewer finishes the regular season 12-9 and takes a three-game win streak into the first round of the Zone 1 tournament against top-seed Orono (16-5) Friday at Mansfield. Third-seeded Bangor (15-6) will meet No. 2 Trenton (16-5).

A Comrades’ win Monday would have knotted Bangor, Trenton, and Orono in a three-way tie for first.

Frazzled nerves on both sides were evident: Brewer jumped out to a 1-0 run in the top of the first on two walks and a wild pitch and Bangor answered quickly with two runs on a leadoff walk, single, two hit batters, a Brewer error and two wild pitches.

The Comrades pushed the lead to 4-1 in the second after leadoff hitter Willy Baird drew a one-out walk and Chris Nill ripped his second single in two at-bats. Jeremy Karam drove Baird in with a single to right and Nill scored on a fielding error one out later.

Brewer got a run back as Ben Preston reached on an error to lead off the fourth, stole second, and scored on Ricky McHale’s one-out single down the right field line.

Meanwhile, Falcons starter Andy Thomas, who struggled with his control early, was refining his fastball and regaining his composure. After throwing 60 pitches in the first three innings, Thomas threw 26 to put together three straight 1-2-3 innings.

Thomas wasn’t the only one righting himself. After being held to one hit in the first four innings, Brewer’s offense exploded for three runs in the fifth thanks to opportune hitting, two wild pitches, and a double steal salvaged from a pickoff play.

John Beck started things off with a leadoff walk before Craig Harvey followed with a single through the left side. One out later, Peter Saunders ripped an RBI grounder through the right side.

It was then things got interesting on the basepaths. With runners at the corners, Saunders got picked off first by Bangor pitcher Joe Vanidestine. As Saunders got caught in a rundown, Harvey broke for home plate. The throw home was late and Saunders ran to second. Preston then struck out, but the ball got away from catcher Chris Nill. Saunders went to second on the passed ball and scored on the throw to first.

Brewer scored what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the seventh on Saunders’ two-out double down the left field line and Preston’s RBI single to right.

After Baird drew his third leadoff walk, Nill again came through with a single to right. Two wild pitches sandwiched around an out scored Baird and sent Nill to third.

Thomas bore down and retired Chris Shea on a grounder for two outs, but walked the next batter and hit David Utterback to load the bases. After Nate Waring re-entered as a pinch-hitter, Thomas worked the count to 2-2 before Waring hit a sharp grounder to third.

Ricky McHale stopped the ball, fumbled it momentarily, and then dove with the ball in his outstretched hand to tag the bag as the runner slid into the base.

For what seemed like at least a couple of frozen minutes in time, fans, players, and coaches alike looked at the umpires awaiting the call. As everyone seemingly held their breath, base umpire Troy Lare deferred to home plate umpire Ralph Damren and Damren called the runner out to end the thriller in heart-stopping style.

Falcons 6, Comrades 5

Brewer (12-9) Bangor (15-6)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Beck, ss 2 1 0 0 Baird, cf 1 3 1 0

Harvey, rf 3 2 1 0 Nill, c 4 2 3 0

Gilley, c 3 0 0 0 a-Whitney 0 0 0 0

Saunders, cf 4 2 2 1 Karam, p-rf 4 0 1 1

Preston, lf-2b 4 1 1 1 C.Shea, 3b 3 0 0 0

Pollard, 1b 3 0 0 0 Chadbrne,lf 2 0 0 0

Thomas, p 4 0 0 0 b-Dionne 0 0 0 0

McHale, 3b 1 0 1 1 Utterback,1b 3 0 0 0

c-Hughes 0 0 0 0 Waring, rf 2 0 0 0

Snell, 2b 1 0 0 0 Carey, p 1 0 1 0

Pinkham, lf 2 0 0 0 Vanidestine,p 0 0 0 0

Brooker, p 1 0 0 0

J.Shea, 2b 2 0 0 0

d-Bouchard 1 0 0 0

Johnson, ss 3 0 0 0

Totals 27 6 5 3 Totals 27 5 6 1

a-ran for Nill in seventh

b-ran for Chadbourne in seventh

c-ran for McHale in fourth

d-struck out for J. Shea in sixth

Brewer 100 130 1 – 6

Bangor 220 000 1 – 5

E – Saunders, McHale; C. Shea, Johnson 2B – Saunders LOB – Brewer 7; Bangor 8 DP – Johnson-Utterback SB – Beck, Preston, Harvey, Saunders; Baird

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Brewer

Thomas (W,2-2) 7 6 5 4 4 6

Bangor

Karam 2 0 1 1 3 2

Carey 2 1 1 0 1 3

Vanidestine (L,0-1) 1 2 3 2 1 0

Brooker 2 2 1 1 2 2

HBP – C. Shea (by Thomas), Chadbourne (by Thomas), Utterback (by Thomas) WP – Thomas 5; Karam, Vanidestine 3, Brooker 2 PB – Nill TIME – 2:17 ATTENDANCE – 156