Brewer pitcher Barrett turns back Bangor

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BREWER – Two weeks after suffering an eight-run loss to archrival Bangor, the new, improved, and much-better-seasoned Brewer Witches got their bats going early, survived a midgame defensive meltdown, and withstood a late Bangor rally to post their fifth straight victory with a dramatic 5-4 decision over the Rams.

It was hard to pick the most important moment or play in Thursday night’s game on a clear, comfortable night at Heddericg Field, but there was no doubt about the most important player. That distinction belonged to Brewer’s Joel Barrett, whose complete-game, 108-pitch effort made him 3-0 in his first season as a starter after hip and shoulder problems forced him off the mound.

“We knew we’d pitch him a little, but we wanted to be conservative because he’s had arm problems in the past,” said coach David Morris, whose Witches are now 6-3. “He came to me one day and said, ‘Coach, I want the ball, so we let him pitch. Tonight, we needed him as an upperclassman to come in and get the job done and that was just a gutsy performance.”

The junior righthander not only showed plenty of veteran poise in limiting Bangor to four hits and one unearned run while walking four batters and striking out five. He also ignited the Witches’ offense with a three-run home run – a no-doubt, 360-foot shot to left-center – in the first inning.

As big as the homer – his first of the season – was, Barrett’s most crucial contributions came from the mound as he battled his way out of five jams and refused to allow defensive miscues from wrecking his concentration.

“That’s what he’s done all year long,” Morris said. “He knows when the going gets tough, the guys will make the plays behind him and that last play was a perfect example.”

That last play came with one out in the seventh and Bangor runners at second and third. Bangor’s Josh Johnson drove in Bangor’s fourth run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Jason Work made the catch and immediately rifled the throw to shortstop Zach Bouzan-Kaloustian with Bangor’s Jim Shea (two singles) leading off second, in case the throw went home. Bouzan-Kaloustian caught the throw, whirled, and zipped the ball to second baseman Tony Doucette, who tagged the sliding Shea for the game’s last out just before Shea could get his hand down on the bag.

“This is huge because in the past we just haven’t come through because we hoped to win while they expected to win, I think,” Barrett said. “We just came in with a different mentality.”

The final play was redemptive for Barrett – who walked the first two batters in the seventh before striking out Justin Libbey on three pitches – and Bouzan-Kaloustian, who committed two of the three errors in the fifth as Bangor scored two unearned runs on one hit.

“You just have to forget about that stuff. I mean, I struck out just before that, too,” said the sophomore. “I know Joel’s going to throw strikes, so you just have to be ready to do it again.”

And “BK” did, charging back-to-back hard grounders and gunning the runners out at first immediately after the miscues.

Brewer made it 5-0 in the third on Bouzan-Kaloustian’s leadoff homer, Barrett’s double, and Chris Cote’s two-out RBI single to center.

The 7-3 Rams got a run in the fourth with a hit batter, two wild pitches, and a passed ball.

The Witches handed lefty Joe Vanidestine his first loss of the season despite an 11-strikeout, no-walk effort from Bangor’s ace.

Witches 5, Rams 4

Bangor (7-3) Brewer (6-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Worcester, cf 4 0 0 0 B’zan-Kaloustian, ss 1

Vanidestine, p 3 2 0 0 Freeman, cf 3 0

Shea, 2b 3 1 2 0 Barrett, p 3 2 3

Libbey, 3b 4 0 0 0 Spencer, rf 3 0 0

Johnson, 1b 3 0 1 1 Cote, 3b 3 0 0

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

Sullivan, rf 2 0 1 0 Caldwell, dh 3 0 0

Anderson, lf 2 0 0 0 King, 1b 0 0 0

Bombardier, ss 3 0 0 0 Work, lf 3 0

Griffin, c 2 0 1 0

a-Sargent 0 0 0 0

Totals 26 4 4 1 Totals 26 5 9 4

a-ran for Griffin in fourth

Bangor 000 120 1 ? 4

Brewer 302 000 x ? 5

E? Bouzan-Kaloustian 2, Cote, Doucette, King; LOB? Bangor 7, Brewer 2; 2B? Barrett; HR? Barrett (1), Bouzan-Kaloustian (1); SF? Johnson

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Vanidestine (L, 3-1) 6 9 5 5 0 11

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Barrett (W, 3-0) 7 4 4 1 4 5

HBP? Bouchard by Barrett; WP? Barrett 3; PB? Griffin; T? 1:51; ATT? 228