NORWICH, Conn. - With two seven-inning games with the Connecticut Tigers on tap for Wednesday, the Jamestown Jammers figured to have plenty of opportunities to score.
After being shutout 6-0 in the opener - a make-up of Tuesday's rained out game - Jamestown remained scoreless into the sixth inning of game two, trailing 4-0. However, a late offensive rally allowed Jamestown (28-25) to send the game into extra innings and ultimately salvage a doubleheader split with an 8-4 extra-inning victory.
The rubber match of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Connecticut's Dodd Memorial Stadium.
From there, the Jammers return home to Diethrick Park for a series with the Lowell Spinners, running Friday through Sunday.
Jamestown couldn't get anything going in the doubleheader opener, managing just two hits in a 6-0 setback. Rand Smith delivered a one-out single in the second inning and the Jammers' only other knock was a fifth inning single by Pedro Mendoza.
The Tigers (22-28) started hot, scoring four times in the first inning and all six of their runs before the third inning was over. Facing Jamestown starter Jose Urena, Connecticut benefited from three RBI doubles in the first inning. Tyler Collins and Dean Green drove in one run each with their two-baggers and Javier Azcona brought home a pair with his. Aaron Westlake added an RBI double in the second and Azcona a solo homer in the third to complete the scoring.
Urena (4-5) was hit with the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in four innings of work. His ERA rose to a season-high 4.37 in the loss.
The second half of the twinbill appeared to be heading in the same direction as Connecticut built a 4-0 lead through five innings by roughing up Jamestown starter Helpi Reyes.
Collins doubled home a run in the first, Green had an RBI single in the third and back-to-back RBI singles by Green and Jason King in the fifth had the Jammers down 4-0 with only two hits in the game - and four all night - to that point in time.
Then - just that sudden - the Jammers' sticks came to life.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Brian McConkey singled to right. Joshua Adams then reached on an error and Jobduan Morales walked to load the bases. Nestor Castillo grounded out to short for the second out, but the throw to first trying to complete the double play sailed high and two runs scored to make it 4-2 Connecticut.
With new life in the inning, Eddie Rodriguez doubled to make it 4-3 and Kentrell DeWitt's RBI single knotted the game at 4-4.
Brad Mincey shut down the Tigers in the sixth and Charles Wier did so in the seventh to keep the game tied 4-4 after the scheduled distance of seven innings. The eighth inning proved to be the deciding inning for the Jammers.
Adams led off with a walk and Morales doubled him home to give Jamestown a 5-4 lead. Castillo's single followed, scoring Morales, and DeWitt walked to put runners on first and second. Smith then delivered a one-out single that scored both Castillo and DeWitt to close out the scoring at 8-4.
Closer Alfredo Buret pitched the bottom of the eighth, but was not credited with a save.
Wier (4-1) was the winner, allowing one hit in one inning of work. Eight players - Smith, Terrence Dayleg, McConkey, Adams, Morales, Castillo, Rodriguez and DeWitt all had one hit each for the winners.
Game 1
Jamestown 000 000 0 - 0 2 0
Connecticut 411 000 x - 6 6 0
2b-Tyler Collins (C), Dean Green (C), Javier Azcona (C), Aaron Westlake (C). HR-Azcona (C). WP-Wilsen Palacios. LP-Jose Urena
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Game 2
Jamestown 000 004 04 - 8 8 0
Connecticut 101 020 00 - 4 7 4
2b-Chad Wright (C), Tyler Collins (C), Eddie Rodriguez (J), Jobduan Morales (J). WP-Charles Wier. LP-Rayni Guichardo.