Wings Beat 1st Place Elmira
Dan Gliot’s 7th inning single broke a 2-2 tie as the Red Wings went on to beat first place Elmira 4-2 at McDonough Park on the eve of tomorrow’s season defining triple header.
Elmira, which had clinched a playoff spot on Saturday, entered the game on fire. The Pioneers had won ten out of their last twelve games. But it was Geneva who got on the board first. Kyle Kalaka led off the second inning with a walk and then Max Casper collected his first extra base hit of the season with a double to right center putting runners on second and third. With one out, Paul Moreno brought them both home with a base hit up the middle to give the Red Wings a 2-0 lead. “Paulie Moreno came up clutch for us,” said manager Dave Herbst.
Elmira tacked on a run in the second inning when Justin Lambourn capped off a stretch of three straight singles off Red Wings starter Casey Rana, bringing home Cory Keller with the Pioneers first run.
Elmira tacked on one more run in the 6th, but aside from that, Rana was brilliant. Facing the NYCBL West Division’s top offense, he scattered just five hits over six innings, while striking out five Pioneers. Rana credited his success to a good game plan, “I started off speed to get them fishing for things,” said Rana. “(catcher) Kyle Kalaka called a great game.”
After 6 innings the Red Wings turned the ball over to relievers James Heine and Ryan Kassab who combined to allow just two base runners in three scoreless frames.
Heine was credited with the win after the Red Wings took the lead for good in the 7th. Casper started the inning off with a single through the left side of the Pioneer’s infield and moved to second on a sac bunt by Paul Speicher. Paul Bello followed with his second hit of the game which put runners on the corner for Gliot. The reigning NYCBL West Division Offensive Player of the Week ripped a run scoring single up the middle scoring Casper to break the tie. The Wings scored one more when Bello’s hook slide allowed him to avoid catcher Ryan Ferguson’s tag on Marcus Way’s ground ball.
After that, Kassab shut the door on the Pioneers allowing just a one out walk in the 9th to pick up his sixth save of the season.
The 4-2 win was huge for the Red Wing’s as they entered the night just a half game behind Hornell for the 4th and final playoff spot, tied for 5th with Alfred. The Red Wings take on Alfred for two games tomorrow and a nightcap at Hornell completes the triple header. “It’s going to be a tough day for us,” said Herbst. “But we are really focused to get some big wins.”