WORCESTER, MA — While Ben Alekson was retiring 15 of 17 batters faced with 10 strikeouts over five scoreless innings, the Vermont Lake Monsters offense racked up 13 runs on 11 hits and eight walks for a 13-1, seven-inning Future League “mercy rule” victory over the Worcester Braveheaders Wednesday night at Fitton Field.
Alekson (Stowe/Fairfield) had at least one strikeout in each of his five innings including striking out the side in the third along with two punchouts in the second, fourth and fifth innings. Only baserunners against Alekson came on two-out double in first and one-out infield single in fifth (struckout final two batters faced).
Vermont got on the scoreboard in the second on RBI singles from Kyle McCausland (Middlebury) and Jack Winnay (Wake Forest), while Francis Ferguson (Eastern Nazarene) added an RBI single in a two-run third inning for a 4-0 advantage.
Lake Monsters sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth with the first six reaching safely on a walk, four straight singles and another walk for a 7-0 lead. Vermont added three more runs in the inning on an error, Jake Gaudreau (Bryant) bases loaded hit by pitch and Kyle Lodise (Augusst) sacrifice fly.
After a Vermont unearned run in sixth, Worcester got its only run in the bottom of the inning on a double and RBI single. The Lake Monsters added two more runs in top of seventh on RBI singles from Callen Fang (Harvard) and Gaudreau.
The Bravehearts opened the bottom of seventh with a single, but Sean Gamble (Minnesota State) got a 6-4-3 double play and flyout to end the game after seven innings. The win moves Vermont (27-14) one game behind Worcester (28-13) for first-place in the FCBL. The teams will play at Worcester again Thursday live on NESN starting at 7:05pm.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
- Alekson 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 SO
- Ferguson 2-for-2, 2 BB, HBP 3 R, 2 RBI
- Fang 2-for-5, 2 RBI as DH
MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
- 5th 10-run “mercy-rule” victory of season for Vermont (14-1 all-time in 10-run rule game)
- 9th time Lake Monsters have scored in double figures and 3rd time with 13 runs
- Ferguson, FCBL leader in ERA (2.34) and 4th in strikeouts (34), reached base safely in all 5 plate appearances (2 RBI singles, 2 BB, HBP) and is now 8-for-19 (,421) at plate
- Fang, 5 saves and 0.54 ERA in 14 relief appearances, had pair of RBI singles in his 1st plate appearances of the season
- Lodise was only Vermont starter without a base hit, but finished with 3 walks and 3 runs scored
- Vermont batters 8 walks, 9 strikeouts, while 3 Lake Monster pitchers 0 walks, 12 strikeouts
Next Game: Thursday at Worcester, 7:05pm (Live on NESN)
Next Home Game: Friday vs. Nashua, 6:35pm