WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester Bravehearts completed a three-game series sweep as they rallied from 6-1 and 8-5 deficits with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 9-8 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters in Futures League action Sunday afternoon.
Vermont built the 6-1 lead with a Shaun McMillan (St. John’s) two-run single in the first and two-run double in the second before a Jeremy Sosa (Manhattan) RBI single in second and RBI double in fourth. The Bravehearts cut the deficit to 6-5 in the fifth on a grand slam from Jack Quick, who also had a solo homer in the first inning.
Lake Monsters restored a three-run lead with two runs in the seventh, including a Nolan Colby (Fairfield) RBI single, before Quick picked up his sixth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Sean Gamble (Bethany Lutheran) came on to record the final two outs of the seventh and a scoreless eighth, but lost the strike zone in the ninth.
A leadoff walk, one-out walk and RBI single preceded back-to-back hit batters that tied the game 8-8. Gamble got the second out of the inning with a forceout at plate and got ahead 0-2 on the next batter, but after two balls and four fouls kept the at bat alive, the winning run scored on a wild pitch.
MONSTER PERFORMANCE
* McMillan 2-for-4, R, 2B, 4 RBI
* Sosa 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
* Sam Cavossa (Saint Michael’s) 2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 2B
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* Just the 3rd time that Lake Monsters have lost when leading after 8 innings in their 5 FCBL seasons (allowed 4 runs bottom 9th August 7, 2022 in season-finale 9-8 loss at Brockton and lost season-opener May 26, 2021 after allowing tying home run in 9th before losing in HR derby)
* McMillan extended hitting streak to 12 straight and now leads the FCBL with 19 RBI
* Starter Jack Kelleher (Northern Essex CC) allowed just the solo homer in 1st and 4 hits over first 4 innings before giving up the grand slam in the 5th
* Colby was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI, including a double in 5th for his 1st Lake Monsters hit
Next Game: Tuesday vs. New Britain, 6:35pm
Promotion: 25-cent “Hot Dog Hysteria