McAvoy sparks Brewer Falcons rally, beat Hampden

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HAMPDEN – Brewer Falcon third baseman Kevin McAvoy belted his first homer of the summer, a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning. But it was his two-run double in the third inning that was even more pivotal as the Falcons won their 10th straight Zone 1 American Legion game, 10-4, over Hampden at Bordick Field Friday night.

McAvoy’s two-out double pulled the Falcons within 4-3 after they had spotted the Riverdogs a 4-0 lead.

Joe Robicheau’s RBI double in the fourth tied it and he scored the winning run on a balk.

McAvoy’s three-run homer in the sixth capped a four-run rally that put the game away.

“Kevin’s double took a little of their momentum away and it got us going,” said Brewer coach Dave Morris, whose Falcons improved to 13-1.

“They showed why they’re in first place,” said Hampden third baseman-catcher Ian Lee.

In the third, a hit batter, a walk and Matt Grimes’ two-out RBI single to right made it 4-1 before McAvoy roped his double to left center off lefthander Jason Huntley.

“That was one of the only fastballs I saw all day,” said McAvoy. “I was sitting on it. I knew he was going to throw me one sometime. It was out over the plate.”

Huntley, who threw a lot of curves, said he was “skeptical” about throwing a fastball to McAvoy and he didn’t locate it well.

“It was letter-high,” said Huntley.

Brewer tied it in the fourth when Nye Gifford walked and Robicheau doubled off the fence in left center.

Robicheau went to third on a groundout and scored on the balk.

Brewer’s Andrew Otis began the sixth-inning rally by singling down down the third base line and Chris Maguire followed with a line-drive double inside the third base bag. A wild pitch delivered Otis and a hit batsman later, McAvoy walloped his homer to left.

“It was a fastball, low and inside,” said McAvoy.

“They got timely hits,” said Hampden coach Jason Folsom, whose Riverdogs lost their fourth straight and fell to 6-9.

Meanwhile, Brewer righthander Ben Davis, who has been the closer for the Falcons and his Brewer High team, made his first start in two years and pitched four innings of hitless, scoreless ball after surrendering six hits and four runs in the first two innings.

Gifford pitched the seventh.

“I knew the hits would come. We have a great hitting team,” said Davis. “I focused on hitting my spots and keeping the ball on the outside corner because they’re a great hitting team. I went mostly with my fastball and threw in some curves to keep them off balance.”

Davis struck out three and walked three in six innings.

“He threw a good game,” said Folsom.

Joel Neill’s single, Lee’s RBI double and Davis’ throwing error on Brett Danforth’s infield hit staked Hampden to a 2-0 lead in the first before Nate Ellis and Billy Shannon singled home second-inning runs.

Maguire had three hits for Brewer and McAvoy had his pair. Ellis had two hits for Hampden.

FALCONS 10, RIVERDOGS 4

Brewer (13-1) Hampden (6-9)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Miller, cf 5 1 1 0 Shannon, ss 4 0 1

Grimes, lf 3 2 1 1 Neill, lf 3 1 0

McAvoy, 3b 3 1 2 5 Bart, 3b 0 0 0

Moran, dh-rf 4 0 1 0 Lee, 3b-c 4 1 1

Gifford, rf-p 2 1 0 0 Pease, 1b 3 0

Gray, ph 1 0 0 0 Danforth, 2b-rf 1 0 0

Robicheau, c 3 1 1 1 McGinley, c-2b 3 0 0

Smith, ph 1 1 1 0 Joy, dh 3 1 1 0

Peasley, c 0 0 0 0 Ellis, cf 3 1 1

Patterson, 1b 2 0 0 0 MacLean, rf-p 2 0

Economy, ph 1 0 0 0

Cushing, 2b 0 1 0 0

Otis, 2b 1 1 1 0

Swett, ph 1 0 1 1

Maguire, ss 4 1 3 0

Totals 31 10 12 8 Totals 26 4 7 3

Brewer 003 204 1 – 10

Hampden 220 000 0 – 4

E- Davis; Lee LOB- Brewer 6, Hampden 5; 2B- McAvoy, Robicheau, Maguire; Lee; HR- McAvoy (1); DP- Davis-Maguire-Patterson; SB- Joy

Brewer IP H R ER BB SO

Davis (W, 1-0) 6 6 4 3 3 3

Gifford 1 1 0 0 1 1

Hampden IP H R ER BB SO

Huntley (L, 0-3) 6 9 9 9 4 2

MacLean 1 3 1 1 0 0

HBP- Patterson by Huntley, Grimes by Huntley; WP- Huntley; BK- Huntley 2; T- 1:55; ATT- 75 (est.)