A's Execute in Win Over Hyannis
by Brian Clark
Sunday, June 29, 2008
The A's used a combination of timely hitting and good pitching to defeat the Hyannis Mets 3-2 Saturday night at Veterans Field. Evan Ocheltree returned to the lineup after missing four games because of injury and was instrumental in both of Chatham's rallies. The A's bullpen was virtually flawless again, with Jeff Lorick notching his second win and Borad Boxberger collecting his fifth save.
Starter Bobby Hernandez was hit early in the game, as Luke Murton's RBI single in the first inning gave Hyannis a 1-0 lead. The lead was expanded in the third, as a Michael Murray sacrifice fly plated Murton. In a 2-0 hole, the A's bats awoke in the fourth, as Kyle Bellows led off with a single, advancing to third on Evan Ocheltree's double to right. Robert Papenhause's single scored Bellows. After Dylan Brown flew out to right, Joe Mercurio worked a full count against starter Graham Stoneburner, before driving a fly ball to left field, deep enough to score Ocheltree with the sacrifice fly.
The A's used their momentum to take the lead in the 5th. Grant Green led off with his league-leading 22nd hit, a single to left. Cory Olson reached on an infield hit. However, Sanchez and Bellows were retired, and it appeared that the A's would come away emptyhanded as Even Ocheltree stepped to the plate. With a double already to his credit, Ocheltree looked sharp in his first game since drawing a game-winning walk Sunday vs. Falmouth. He missed the next four games due to a freak accident while working on the field which necessitated stitches in his finger. Down in the count 1-2, Ocheltree singled to leftfield, scoring Green and giving the A's a 3-2 lead.
Chatham's pitchers would not relinquish the lead, as Jeff Lorick held Hyannis hitless over 1.2 relief innings. Brad Boxberger came on with two down in the 8th, and ran into trouble, issuing a walk and giving up a single to Luke Murton before getting Ryan Eden to ground to third. In the 9th, Boxberger was untouchable, as the USC righty struck out all three Hyannis batters, as he earned his fifth save of the season.
The A's take the field Sunday, as they head to Harwich for a 5:30 start. Pregame coverage gets underway at 5:10 with the A's Extra Pregame Show, leading up to the first pitch. As always, games can be heard on chathamas.com through TRZ Teamline