BURLINGTON, VT — Cooper O’Brien (Vergennes/Colby-Sawyer) had a sacrifice fly to tie game in fifth and go ahead RBI single in seventh inning, while Wyatt Cameron (Middlebury/Central Connecticut) retired the final five Sun batters of the game as the Vermont Lake Monsters rallied to beat Pittsfield 7-5 in Futures League action Sunday evening at historic Centennial Field.
After rallying from a 6-1 deficit yesterday with a six-run fourth inning, the Lake Monsters trailed 5-1 Sunday before scoring three times in the fourth again on a Ben Slaughter (Middlebury College) two-run single and Tyler Wells (St. Johnsbury/U NewHaven) RBI infield single.
Logan Keller led off the fifth with a walk and later tied the game on the sac fly from O’Brien, who gave the Lake Monsters the lead with the RBI single in the seventh after a leadoff walk and one-out single from Ryan Eaton (CVU/Manhattan)
Pittsfield loaded the bases with 1 out in the eighth before Cameron came out of the bullpen to record back-to-back strikeouts looking to squelch the threat. Vermont (3-2) added an insurance run on a wild pitch bottom of the eighth and Cameron tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
- 4 VT relievers combined on 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO
- O’Brien 1-for-2, BB, R, 2 RBI
- * Eduardo Diaz (Navy) 2-for-3, 2 BB, 1 R in Vermont debut
MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
- After Pittsfield took 5-1 lead with help from 3-run and solo homers off Vermont starter Patric Menk (Virginia), bullpen tossed 6 scoreless innings including 2 IP from Dylan Knightley (Middlebury)
- Sean Gamble (Minnesota State) 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory
- Logan Keller (Navy) 1-for-2 with walk, 2 runs and 1 RBI in 2023 Monster debut
- Eaton was 2-for-4 with a run scored in his VT debut as the Monsters started an All-Vermonter outfield of Eaton, O’Brien and Wells.
- Vermont had 10 hits for 2nd straight day and also reached base on 9 Sun walks
Next Game: Monday at Norwich, 6:30pm
Next Home Game: Saturday vs. Westfield, 6:05pm