Sublett Doubles as Yanks Win in Tenth

Yanks take rubber game against Williamsport in extra innings

By: Robert Pimpsner

August 9, 2007 – The Staten Island Yankees defeated the Williamsport Crosscutters in extra innings, taking the rubber game of a three game set.  Damon Sublett had the only 3 Yankee RBIs in the game, 2 coming off a double to right field in the tenth inning.

                Ryan Pope took the mound, making his fifth start of the season.  Pope went 5 innings and allowed the only 2 Crosscutter runs.  Despite allowing 2 runs to score; Pope had an excellent outing striking out 7 batters and only allowing 1 walk.  Nick Chigges would take over on the mound for Staten Island in the sixth inning, and went on to pitch 3 shutout innings.  Chigges struck out 5 batters in his 1 hit performance and lowered his ERA to 2.92.

                The Yankees fell behind early when the Crosscutters were able to plate single runs in the first and second inning, but were unable to plate anymore.  The first Yankee run came in the top of the third inning, Matt Morris belted a line drive to left that fell in for a hit and then moved to second on a ground out by Justin Snyder.  Morris would come around to score when Taylor Holiday hit a ground ball to the shortstop but was bobbled allowing the runners to be safe.

                Williamsport would remain ahead 2-1 until the top of the eighth inning.  Matt Morris led off with a single to center and Justin Snyder then walked.  Taylor Holiday belted a ground ball to first for a single to load the bases.  Damon Sublett then got the first of his 3 RBIs on a sacrifice fly to right field.

                With neither team able to plate runs in the ninth inning, the game went into extras.  Matt Morris and Justin Snyder led the inning of knocking back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners with no outs.  A wild pitch with Taylor Holiday at the plate would plate Morris and move Snyder into scoring position.  Holiday would then reach on an error by the third baseman and also steal second with Damon Sublett at the plate.  Sublett then belted his thirteenth double of the season for 2 RBIs, giving the bombers a 5-2 lead.

                Jacinto Gonell got the win for the bombers.  Gonell came in to pitch the ninth inning, making his second appearance with the Staten Island Yankees.  He would hand the ball over to the Yankee closer Jonathan Ortiz in the tenth inning, who would strike out 2 batters enroot to his eighth save on the year.

                The Staten Island Yankees will return home tomorrow night to take on the Jamestown Jammers in a 3 game set before the All-Star Break.