June 28 Come From Behind Win
4-Run Sixth Inning Propels Prospects To Win
By Len Nunes
Prior to the game, the Prospects announced that pitcher Noah Gapp signed with the Ottawa Champions of the Can-Am League. Thanks for the many years of service Noah and best of luck moving forward.
Mother Nature delayed the start of Wednesday night’s game to 7:30PM and forced another delay after the second inning. Neither Mother Nature nor trailing the Fort McMurray Giants into the sixth inning would stop our Prospects from collecting a 6-3 victory.
Lefty Finnigan Duffield was your starting pitcher for our Prospects. After striking out the first batter of the game, the Giants were able to score a run in the first inning against him. Duffield struck of 2 of 3 batters in a 3-up-3-down second inning but momentarily lost the plate in the 3rd inning walking the bases loaded. No damage was done though as he induced an Evan Willow grounder to third baseman Michael Gahan to end the threat. The Giants would score single runs in the 4th and 5th innings with the Prospects needing Scott Gillespie to come in to get the final out of the 5th inning.
Gillespie was great Wednesday night. He played 2 1/3 innings facing the minimum 7 batters as his one hit against was quickly erased by a 6-4-3 double-play!
Our Prospects offence started with Zane Takhar extending his personal hitting to six games in the bottom of the first. Gahan would collect the RBI to tie the ballgame at 1.
With the score 3-1 for the Giants entering the bottom of the 5th inning, the Olson boys began the comeback for our Prospects. Tony lead off the inning and then Dean, who extended his personal hitting streak to 6 games, also singled. Gahan would collect his second RBI of the night, this time via the sacrifice fly to bring the score to 3-2.
The comeback was completed in the bottom of the 6th inning as 4 runs would cross the plate. It all started with a 1-out double by Jake Lanferman that got brought home by a Matt Quartel single. With Quartel on third base a balk by Giants starter Samuel Hersh would bring him home to give the Prospects their first lead of the game. Takhar would bring home two insurance runs with a 2-out single that brought us to our 6-3 final score.
Keeping that 3-run safe was Prospects closer Andrew Mirasty. Mirasty pitched the final two frames collecting 4 strikeouts along the way.
Player Of The Game: The bullpen duo of Scott Gillespie and Andrew Mirasty take this honour. A combined 4 1/3 innings pitched allowing only three baserunners while striking out five. A 2-out 2-on strikeout of Travis Turner in the bottom of the 5th inning by Gillespie ostensibly started the comeback for our boys.