OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The Old Orchard Beach Surge (3-2) took down the visiting Sullivan Explorers (2-3) in walk-off fashion on Tuesday night at The Ballpark with a final score of 7-6.
The game remained scoreless until the third inning, when the Explorers took a 2-0 lead. Designated hitter Bryan Hoover and second baseman Shigeta Hayoto each picked up RBIs. The Surge offense quickly matched it, with third baseman Luc Pomales knocking a two-run single.
The Explorers would take a 3-2 lead in the fifth, with a bases loaded HBP. A 360-foot solo blast from Surge designated hitter Jordyn Van Atta, his first of the season, tied it 3-3.
Left-handed relief pitcher Michael Romano took over the mound in the sixth, ending the night for starter Rich Humes. Humes ended his Surge debut allowing six hits, walking three and striking out one.
Sullivan took a 5-3 lead in the seventh, with runners reaching home on an error and a sac fly from outfielder Adrian Gonzalez.
David Ernst would take over for Romano in the eighth. Romano threw for two innings, allowing no hits, while striking out two and walking two. An error in the eighth would allow the Explorers to take a 6-3 lead.
The Surge rally began in the bottom of the eighth, getting themselves within one run. Pomales led off with a triple, reaching home on a Sean Washington sac fly. Shortstop Joshua Martinez knocked in Nathan Schwertner with an RBI single.
Cody Frank would come in to close for the Surge, taking over for Ernst. Ernst allowed two hits while walking one. Frank went on to earn his first win of the season, striking out one while allowing no hits in the ninth.
First baseman Chris Allen began the ninth with a lead-off walk and a stolen base. Van Atta would walk behind him. An error on the Explorers first baseman allowed Washington to score, tying the game at 6-6, while leaving the bases loaded with no outs. Schwertner would complete the rally, with a walk-off hit up the middle, sending Allen home.
The Surge outhit the Explorers 9-8, with Chris Allen and Luc Pomales leading the team with two. Allen and Jacob Fabry each picked up their league leading fifth steals of the season.
The next Surge home game is tonight at 6:30 p.m. for Game 1 of a five-game series with the New Hampshire Wild. Alan Carey will be making his second start on the mound for the Surge.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less