Red Storm prevails over Kennebunk - by Cliff White
By Cliff White
Sports reporter
“Baseball is a game of inches,” former Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey once said. The Kennebunk baseball has had to suffer the terrible truth of this saying repeatedly this season, and Tuesday’s home game against Scarborough was the latest installment.
Kennebunk fell behind early in the game, as wildness by starter Dan Morales allowed one run to score. Still in the first inning, Kennebunk Coach Brian Dill sent in Junior Rob Nutter to relieve Morales. Proving Branch Rickey’s wisdom true for the first time that day, Nutter gave up a single to the Red Storm’s Ben Wahrer that hit Nate Boroyon, a fellow Scarborough player who was on his way to second base. Boroyan was called out and Nutter had successfully pitched out of danger.
Kennebunk quickly pulled even when leadoff hitter Marcus Smith deposited a high fastball off the hand of pitcher Kevin Chamberlain beyond the left field fence.
“I just wish he was batting with guys on base,” Coach Dill later reflected on Smith’s home run.
In the second inning, walks and errors continued to plague the Rams. Scarborough had only one hit in the inning, but managed to plate three more runs to make the score 4-1.
All was then quiet until the bottom half of the third inning, when, with Morales and Smith in scoring position, Kennebunk catcher Kirk Metayer connected with an offering from Chamberlain that found a gap. Metayer’s single collected two RBI, and the Rams were within one. Metayer eventually found himself on third base after a stolen base and a wild pitch, but was stranded there as Pat Graydon struck out and James Nutter hit a deep fly ball that came up just a bit short of the wall and was hauled in by center fielder Chris Albert.
From there, both teams’ pitching began to settle down. Kennebunk’s relief corps of Matt Hunter and James Nutter combined to stifle the Scarborough bats, pitching effectively and allowing only one runner to reach as far as second base. However, Kennebunk’s hitters fell equally silent, overmatched by the power and command of Scarborough’s ace pitcher Chamberlain.
Down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kennebunk hoped for some production from the heart of their lineup. Graydon led off with a chopper down the line that bounced over the head of Scarborough’s third baseman for a single. James Nutter followed with another ground ball single that found a hole in the infield. Rob Nutter popped out first pitch swinging, but Brendan King hit a groundball sacrifice to the pitcher that advanced the runners. Bill Larkin came in to pinch-hit for Jon Dobrovich, and hit a weak ground ball that looked like it might have a chance. But Scarborough’s shortstop Jimmy Rouse proved Rickey’s rule true once again as he made an astounding grab-and-throw to eke Larkin out at first and end the threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, with Chamberlain still on the mound, and with the hopes of pitching a complete game, the Rams looked to find a rally in the bottom and top of its order. The first two batters went down quickly, with pinch-hitter Robert Welch taking a called third strike, and Marcus Smith grounding out. With their backs to the wall, Kennebunk responded. Matt Philbrick hit an infield single and Metayer hit a liner to right for a single and advancing Philbrick to third base. Falling behind with an 0-2 count, Graydon fluttered a shallow fly ball to right field, hoping that Rickey’s inches were found in distance from glove to ball. But all the Rams found was frustration, as the right fielder A.J. Ellison closed the distance and grasped the ball for the final out.
“We battled, stayed in the game, had chances, and I thought we had it there in the end,” Dill commented. “It was a heartbreaker. We’ve had a few of those this year. We played well enough to win.”
“They had a good pitcher going for them [in Kevin Chamberlain], and we were a little sloppy,” Coach Dill continued. “The errors and extra walks came back around to cost us. Now we have four games left, and we’ve got to win them all. I’ve got a great team who play and practice hard. It’s just a shame that their hard work is not resulting in enough wins.
“This game showed that in baseball, winning is a matter of one or two plays,” Dill summarized. Or, as Mr. Rickey remarked and the Rams proved, a matter of inches.
Sports reporter
“Baseball is a game of inches,” former Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey once said. The Kennebunk baseball has had to suffer the terrible truth of this saying repeatedly this season, and Tuesday’s home game against Scarborough was the latest installment.
Kennebunk fell behind early in the game, as wildness by starter Dan Morales allowed one run to score. Still in the first inning, Kennebunk Coach Brian Dill sent in Junior Rob Nutter to relieve Morales. Proving Branch Rickey’s wisdom true for the first time that day, Nutter gave up a single to the Red Storm’s Ben Wahrer that hit Nate Boroyon, a fellow Scarborough player who was on his way to second base. Boroyan was called out and Nutter had successfully pitched out of danger.
Kennebunk quickly pulled even when leadoff hitter Marcus Smith deposited a high fastball off the hand of pitcher Kevin Chamberlain beyond the left field fence.
“I just wish he was batting with guys on base,” Coach Dill later reflected on Smith’s home run.
In the second inning, walks and errors continued to plague the Rams. Scarborough had only one hit in the inning, but managed to plate three more runs to make the score 4-1.
All was then quiet until the bottom half of the third inning, when, with Morales and Smith in scoring position, Kennebunk catcher Kirk Metayer connected with an offering from Chamberlain that found a gap. Metayer’s single collected two RBI, and the Rams were within one. Metayer eventually found himself on third base after a stolen base and a wild pitch, but was stranded there as Pat Graydon struck out and James Nutter hit a deep fly ball that came up just a bit short of the wall and was hauled in by center fielder Chris Albert.
From there, both teams’ pitching began to settle down. Kennebunk’s relief corps of Matt Hunter and James Nutter combined to stifle the Scarborough bats, pitching effectively and allowing only one runner to reach as far as second base. However, Kennebunk’s hitters fell equally silent, overmatched by the power and command of Scarborough’s ace pitcher Chamberlain.
Down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kennebunk hoped for some production from the heart of their lineup. Graydon led off with a chopper down the line that bounced over the head of Scarborough’s third baseman for a single. James Nutter followed with another ground ball single that found a hole in the infield. Rob Nutter popped out first pitch swinging, but Brendan King hit a groundball sacrifice to the pitcher that advanced the runners. Bill Larkin came in to pinch-hit for Jon Dobrovich, and hit a weak ground ball that looked like it might have a chance. But Scarborough’s shortstop Jimmy Rouse proved Rickey’s rule true once again as he made an astounding grab-and-throw to eke Larkin out at first and end the threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, with Chamberlain still on the mound, and with the hopes of pitching a complete game, the Rams looked to find a rally in the bottom and top of its order. The first two batters went down quickly, with pinch-hitter Robert Welch taking a called third strike, and Marcus Smith grounding out. With their backs to the wall, Kennebunk responded. Matt Philbrick hit an infield single and Metayer hit a liner to right for a single and advancing Philbrick to third base. Falling behind with an 0-2 count, Graydon fluttered a shallow fly ball to right field, hoping that Rickey’s inches were found in distance from glove to ball. But all the Rams found was frustration, as the right fielder A.J. Ellison closed the distance and grasped the ball for the final out.
“We battled, stayed in the game, had chances, and I thought we had it there in the end,” Dill commented. “It was a heartbreaker. We’ve had a few of those this year. We played well enough to win.”
“They had a good pitcher going for them [in Kevin Chamberlain], and we were a little sloppy,” Coach Dill continued. “The errors and extra walks came back around to cost us. Now we have four games left, and we’ve got to win them all. I’ve got a great team who play and practice hard. It’s just a shame that their hard work is not resulting in enough wins.
“This game showed that in baseball, winning is a matter of one or two plays,” Dill summarized. Or, as Mr. Rickey remarked and the Rams proved, a matter of inches.
Comments