ORONO – The Bangor Lumberjacks are hoping one of these days their offense can come together with a good pitching performance.

In previous games Bangor has relied on pitching when the offense has struggled.

The ‘Jacks scored seven runs – enough for a win, according to manager Kash Beauchamp – in a Tuesday night game against the Elmira Pioneers at Mahaney Diamond, but Bangor’s pitching wasn’t there.

The Pioneers pounded out 17 hits, including Rafael Alvarez’s three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, to earn a 12-7 victory over the ‘Jacks in a Northeast League game.

“When we haven’t hit, we’ve had great pitching,” Beauchamp said. “We get good hitting tonight, we didn’t get good pitching.”

Four Bangor pitchers gave up 10 earned runs, walked six and struck out five. Matt Tindell (0-1) lasted just one-third of an inning, but it was his high fastball Alvarez hit out of Mahaney.

Alvarez’s homer came at the perfect time for the Pioneers.

Bangor had an 7-5 lead in the sixth when Cleatus Davidson led off with a single and stole second. Ryan Webb walked, setting up the home run to right-center for an 8-7 Elmira lead.

“You make a mistake to their best hitter, and he hits it out of the ballpark,” Beauchamp said.

Elmira scored three more in the seventh while pitchers Kenichiro Kawabata, Chris McGee and Rentaro Seko held the Lumberjacks scoreless in the final five innings. Bangor had just three baserunners in that span.

The ‘Jacks got off to a good start in the fifth when Lorenzo de la Cruz led off with a double, but was caught off the bag when Todd Brock put a ball into play. After the Pioneers got de la Cruz out, they threw out Brock at first

“It was a case of us getting our butts kicked tonight in every phase of the game,” Beauchamp said. “I think a key play was having a runner on second base with nobody out, a ground ball hit in front of Lorenzo at second, and he went. … That was a turning point there.”

Ryan Lehr led the Pioneers, going 4-for-6 with four singles. Alvarez added an RBI double in the seventh. Webb, the only Elmira player to go without a hit, scored three runs and had an RBI on a fielder’s choice.

The Pioneers took an early 1-0 edge, but the Lumberjacks piled on five runs in the second inning, keyed by a Mo Blakeney two-run double and a Jude Voltz two-run single.

The lead didn’t last long as Elmira racked up five singles in the next inning and tied it up when Mike Valdes scored on a wild pitch. The rally started when Scott Hunter beat out a close tag at first base for an infield hit.

“When you’re struggling, every little mistake is magnified,” Beauchamp said.

Bangor went ahead again in the fourth thanks to an RBI double by Kenichi Muira and a Mitsuru Kobayashi sacrifice fly.

Lumberjacks starter John Vigue gave up nine hits, allowed five runs (four earned), struck out two and walked one in five innings of work.

Kobayashi finished with two RBIs on two sacrifice flies. Lorenzo de la Cruz doubled.

Bangor concludes a six-game homestand tonight with a 7:15 contest against the Pioneers. The Lumberjacks then head for a seven-game road trip with three games against the New Jersey Jackals and three up in Quebec City against the Capitales.

The Lumberjacks return home on June 13 for a seven-game set with three games against the Brockton (Mass.) Rox and four against the Berkshire Black Bears of Pittsfield, Mass.

PIONEERS 12, LUMBERJACKS 7

ELMIRA BANGOR

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Davidson, ss 6 1 2 0 Miura 3 2 1 1

Webb, cf 4 3 0 1 Kobayashi, 2b 3 0 2

Alvarez, lf 6 2 2 4 Voltz, 1b 3 0 2

Hunter, rf 5 1 2 1 Silvestre, lf 4 0 0

Jones, 1b 5 1 2 1 Ross, dh 1 1 0

Lehr, 3b 6 1 4 0 De La Cruz, dh 2 0 0

Marconi, c 5 1 2 1 Brock, 3b 3 1 0

Valdes, dh 4 1 2 1 King, rf 3 1 0

Rosario, 2b 4 1 1 1 Blakeney, cf 4 1 2

Hargreaves, c 3 1 0 0

Tindell, p-rf 1 0 0 0

Totals 45 12 17 10 Totals 30 7 7 7

Elmira 010 403 301 ? 12

Bangor 050 200 000 ? 7

E?Marconi; Brock, Blakeney; LOB?Elmira 13, Lumberjacks 3; 2B?Alvarez, Jones; Miura, De La Cruz, Blakeney; HR?Alvarez; SF?Kobayashi; SB?Davidson

Elmira IP H R ER BB SO

Mendoza 4 6 7 6 5 4

Kawabata (W, 1-1) 2 1 0 0 1 1

McGee 2 0 0 0 0 4

Seki 1 0 0 0 0 1

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Vigue 5 9 5 4 1 3

Tindell (L, 0-1) 1/3 2 3 3 2 0

Kalinowski 2 5 3 3 1 2

Henry 1 2/3 1 1 0 1 2

HBP?Marconi by Vigue, Valdes by Vigue; WP?Vigue; PB?Marconi; Hargreaves; T?3:23; ATT?833