SCARBOROUGH — Scarborough manufactured a run in the seventh inning to hand Westbrook its first loss of the season in a Telegram League baseball game Tuesday night.

Keenan Lowe hit Ryan Mancini with a pitch with the bases loaded as the Red Storm won 5-4 at McFarland Field.

“More times than not, you lose games because you beat yourself, not because the other team beats you,” Scarborough Coach Mike Coutts said. “Both teams had plenty of opportunities.”

With the playoffs starting in two weeks, the game had a tournament feel.

“It was a well-played game between two of the top teams,” Westbrook Coach Mike Rutherford said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we meet up again.”

“Those are great games for the kids to be in — both teams — because you’re going to be doing it again in a couple of weeks,” Coutts said.

The loss came after the Blazes won their first 12 games to move into the top spot in the Western Class A Heal point standings.

Scarborough (9-2) moved past Cheverus into second.

For the first five innings, the game was a pitching duel between Westbrook right-hander Sean Murphy and Scarborough right-hander Ben Wessel.

Murphy, pitching on three days’ rest after scattering six hits Friday in an 8-1 victory against Biddeford, gave up seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. Wessel carried a four-hitter into the sixth, when he was relieved by Joe Cronin after two outs.

Westbrook had to scratch for its runs. Scarborough, until the seventh, relied on the long ball.

The Blazes opened the scoring when Zach Collett was hit by a pitch in the fourth, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a delayed double steal following a walk to Murphy.

The Red Storm made it 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Mancini doubled with one out, moved to third on a grounder and scored on Nick Murphy’s solid single to center.

Westbrook took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Trevor Bates reached on a fielder’s choice and Wessel walked three consecutive batters with two outs.

Scarborough took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the inning when Kevin Philbrook belted a three-run homer after Jack Adams doubled and Cronin reached on an infield hit.

“To be honest with you, (Philbrook) missed a sign,” Coutts said. “It was going to be a fake bunt. I was going to have him fake bunt, so I said, ‘Good thing you don’t know the signs.’ “

Westbrook rallied to tie it.

In the sixth, Sam Stauble doubled for his third hit of the game and scored on a single by Bates to make it 4-3.

In the top of the seventh, Joe Quinlan reached on Scarborough’s only error, moved to second on Kyle Heath’s sacrifice and hustled home on Scott Heath’s infield hit.

Ben Greenburg reached on an error to start the bottom of the seventh, prompting Rutherford to lift Murphy, and moved to second when Lowe walked Cronin. After Philbrook moved both runners along with a sacrifice, Wessel was walked to load the bases. Lowe then hit Mancini with the first pitch to force in the winning run.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/PaulBetitPPH