Day of Rest Beneficial for Yanks

Yankees defeat the Vermont Lake Monsters in Game One of a three game set

By: Robert Pimpsner

August 22, 2007 – The Staten Island Yankees benefited from an extra day of rest as they traveled up to Vermont to take on the Lake Monsters in a 3-game set.

The Baby Bombers were able to snap a 12-inning scoreless streak when they got on the board in the first inning.  Justin Snyder led the game off with a walk and Taylor Holiday then smacked a 2-run homerun (3) to right field to put them ahead 2-0.

Staten Island would cement their lead in the fourth inning when they scored 9 times on 5 hits.  Braedyn Pruitt drew a 1-out walk and went to third on a double by David Williams.  After Matt Morris struck out Pruitt scored on a wild pitch with Jose Gil at the plate and gave the bombers a 3-0 lead.  Gil then singled to center, plating Williams.  Chris Raber then walked and Ryan Wehrle was hit by the pitch to load the bases.  Justin Snyder then came up and worked a walk for an RBI and leaving the bases loaded for Taylor Holiday.  Holiday then smacked a fly ball single to right for 2 RBIs.

The Bombers would bat around as Damon Sublett was next at the plate, Sublett proceeded to belt a RBI single to right scoring Snyder.  Braedyn Pruitt was up again in the inning and knocked a fly ball to right field that fell in for a single, plating Holiday and moving Sublett to second.  Both runners would move up 90 feet after a passed ball with David Williams at the plate.  Williams then smacked a ball to third baseman, but the ball was bobbled as 2 more runs scored, giving Staten Island an 11-0 lead.

Yankees would pad their lead even more in the top of the fifth when with 1 out Ryan Wehrle and Justin Snyder drew back-to-back walks before Taylor Holiday singled on a fly ball to center to load the bases.  A wild pitch with Brian Chavez at the plate would bring home Wehrle, giving the Yanks a 12-0 lead.

Ryan Pope started the game for the Wild Card leading Yanks; Pope was 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA coming into the contest.  The former third round pick went a career high 6 innings in the contest, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits while setting another career high in strikeouts with 8.  The young right-hander got his second professional win and is in line to start on August 27 against the Lowell Spinners.

Taylor Holiday had 3 hits and 4 RBIs in the game and Justin Snyder reached base 5 of 6 times in the game.

Dan Kapala came in the seventh and pitched 2 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits while walking and striking out 2.  Philip Bartleski finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.  The Lake Monsters and Yankees will meet again tomorrow night as Jason Stephens will get the start.  Stephens is 3-0 this season with a 1.05 ERA.