BANGOR – For the second time in the last five games, Bangor’s outfielders saw about as much action as a clerk at a snowmobile dealership in July.

With only four total balls hit beyond the basepaths, starting pitcher Derrick Shain enjoyed a strong effort and made life in the outfield boring as he led the Rams to a 7-1 victory over Hampden Academy on a clear, cool Tuesday night at Mansfield Stadium.

“Yeah, but I’m sure they’re happy as long as the team’s winning,” said Shain, who allowed one hit in eight innings while amassing 12 strikeouts and five walks.

Shain (2-1) threw 108 pitches (61 for strikes) while using a mesmerizing curve effectively to both set up his fastball and drop it in for called third strikes (seven in all).

“He threw strikes and got up in the count, and that’s the way good pitchers pitch,” said Hampden coach Marc Halsted, whose Broncos slip to 3-5. “He got stronger as the game went along too.”

Hampden starter Evan Thomas was victimized by three errors in the first two innings which led to three unearned runs. He also was hurt by nine walks as Bangor managed just five hits against him.

No Bangor player had more than one hit and pinch-hitter Kevin Proctor was the game’s lone extra-base hitter with a double in the sixth inning.

“They’re not gonna hit five or six home runs, but they’re hitting the ball and you have to make the plays because they take advantage of mistakes,” Halsted said.

Left fielder Matt Anderson had a key hit with a one-out, bases-loaded single in the third that scored two runs and made the score 6-1 Rams.

“We gave Matt a game ball tonight and I don’t think he’s had two balls hit to him, maybe in the last six games, but he had a big hit,” said coach Jeff Fahey, whose Rams improve to 7-2.

The bottom third of Bangor’s lineup had a good night as the Nos. 7-8-9 batters went a combined 3-for-9 with three RBIs and three of Bangor’s five stolen bases.

“We’re just trying to score runs any way we can and back up our pitchers,” Anderson said. “Just get a pitch you can hit and take it the other way if you have to.”

“You look at our lineup and there are people all over who could hit in different spots. It’s a versatile group,” Fahey said.

After Hampden took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Billy Bruschi’s leadoff single to the shortstop hole, a walk, and a two-base throwing error on a pickoff attempt, the Rams charged back.

Ryan Worcester led off with a single. A walk and fielder’s choice later, he scored on an error. Josh Johnson’s groundout scored Jim Shea. Justin Libbey scored the third run on another error.

In the third, Cris Bombardier followed Anderson’s two-run single with an RBI single to right. The Rams capped the scoring on a leadoff walk, sacrifice bunt, and Joe Vanidestine’s one-out single up the middle in the fifth.

Shain said getting ahead on the scoreboard early made it a lot easier for him on the mound.

“It makes it a lot more comfortable because you have some room for error,” Shain said. “Later on, the key for me was slowing my curveball down a bit. I was snapping it off too quick early on, but after I slowed down, it started going over the plate.”

Rams 7, Broncos 1

Hampden Academy (3-5) Bangor boys (7-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Bruschi, cf 3 1 1 0 Worcester, cf 2 1 0

Oliver, ss 2 0 0 0 Vanidestine, rf 2 0 1

a-Bearor 0 0 0 0 Shea, 2b 4 1 0

Jackson, lf 2 0 0 0 Libbey, 3b 3 2 0

Lacey, c 2 0 0 0 Johnson, 1b 2 1 1

Dalton, 1b 3 0 0 0 b-Treadwell 1 0 0

Williams, 3b 2 0 0 0 Bouchard, c 1 1 0

Morrell, 2b 2 0 0 0 c-Hochman 1 0 0

d-Libby 0 0 0 0 Shain, p 2 0 0

Thomas, p 2 0 0 0 e-Proctor 1 0 0

Caruso, p 1 0 0 0 f-Baker 0 0 0 0

Quimby, rf 2 0 0 0 Sullivan, p 0 0 0

Anderson, lf 3 0 1 2

g-Nickerson 1 0 0 0

Bombardier, ss 2 1 1 1

Totals 21 1 1 1 Totals 25 7 6 5

a-ran for Oliver in fifth, b-ran for Johnson in sixth, c-flied out for Bouchard in sixth, d-walked for Morrell in seventh, e-doubled for Shain in sixth, f-ran for Proctor in sixth, g-struck out for Anderson in sixth

Hampden Academy 100 000 0 ? 1

Bangor 303 010 x ?7

E?Oliver, Lacey, Morrell; Shain 2; LOB? Hampden 5, Bangor 10; 2B? Proctor; SB? Quimby; Shea, Bouchard, Bombardier 2, Anderson

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Thomas (L,2-2) 5 5 7 4 9 4

Caruso 1 1 0 0 0 2

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Shain (W,2-1) 6 1 1 0 5 12

Sullivan 1 0 0 0 0 2

WP? Thomas, Caruso; PB? Lacey; T? 1:55; ATT? 179