Seattle Stays Alive With Extra Inning Win

The Seattle Monarchs kept their Cecil Cup hopes alive today with a 10-inning 5-4 victory over the Hickory Huskers.

The Monarchs put two on the board in the top of the second against starter James Turner when pitcher Ronald Placencia hit a two-out bases-loaded double to right, bringing home two runners.  However, the Monarchs ended the inning when the runner on first, Jonathan Anderson, decided to test RF Paul Shunk's arm.  Shunk, who has a terrific arm, mowed down Anderson (who is not all that fast) as the latter tried for home, ending the inning.

Hickory responded in the bottom of the inning with a lead-off single by Christopher Moss, followed by a double by Shunk, bringing Moss home.  Two batters later, James Drum lofted a Placencia pitch over the left field wall for a two run home run, making the score 3-2.

Seattle reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a double to center by Alberto Granado and a single to left-center by Bas Bijkerk (who, just to remind everyone had three round-trippers in the 2017 and 2018 playoffs).

Hickory tied it up in the eighth when George LaBarre stroked a solo homer to right off of Placencia.  Neither team scored in the ninth, taking the game into extra frames.

In the top of the tenth, Hickory had Ray Lewis on the mound, starting his second inning of relief work.  On the first pitch of the inning, Paulino Reyes lined to left for a single.  The next batter, Steve Keo, laced a single to right, sending Reyes to third.  On the next pitch Keo was promptly picked off.  However, it mattered little as on the very next pitch, Lewis corked a wild pitch, allowing Reyes to come home with the go-ahead run.  Lewis managed to get out of the rest of the inning without incident, but the damage was already done.

Seattle brought in closer Robert Riddick to save the game in the bottom of the tenth.  LaBarre did manage to reach second on a two-out double, but Riddick got Bill Elder to fly out to right to end the game.

Game 6 on Wednesday night.