Caps Use Big Innings to Down Legends 13-9
Redwood City, Calif. – After having built up so much momentum over the two league wins against the Long Beach Legends, Menlo Park seemed to be in a pretty good spot entering Saturday’s matinee against the PUF Caps. Unfortunately that did not last very long as the Caps scored early and often and eventually won the game 13-9. It was the first time this summer the Caps were able to get past the Legends after Menlo Park took the first three meetings of the season. A late rally in the last few innings fell short as the Legends had to mount quite the comeback just to make it a close game. The loss drops the Legends to 12-6-1 while the Caps improve to 7-4-1.
Jonathan Hernandez w as on the mound first for Menlo Park and he only allowed a pair of unearned runs in the second inning. However, he was in trouble for most of the day and was only able to last three innings after escaping a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the top of the third. The Legends were able to get one run back in the bottom of the fourth after Tyler Nelin scored on a Turner Bishop RBI single, but that’s when the ballgame began to slip away from the Legends.
Runs began to score in bunches for the Caps, starting in the fifth inning. Reliever Sheldon McClelland was in for his second inning of work when he allowed two runners to get aboard with two outs. The next batter was James Free who ripped a triple into the gap in right center and scored both runs. Two out rallies have been a problematic theme for Legends pitching as of late, and it continued today. Things got worse for the Legends in the sixth at the expense of Kevin Hahn, who at one point allowed four consecutive hits en route to the Caps putting up four runs off of him. When the dust settled, Menlo Park was down 8-1 and had to make a serious comeback effort.
They started to chip away at the deficit in the seventh when Clayton Casey hit one of the longest homeruns you will ever see to left-center field. It cleared the massive scoreboard out there by plenty of distance and was an absolute no-doubter off the bat. Two more runs would be pushed across in the bottom of the eighth after Philip Caulfield brought home one on a double and Turner Bishop hit a sacrifice fly. While the score was now closer at 8-4, the ninth inning would bring on many runs. Ten to be exact.
Each team traded sides for five runs apiece in the ninth inning. Ryan Lefner was the victim on the mound for the Legends as he allowed six of the first seven hitters of the inning to reach base, highlighted by a three-run dagger homerun from Cameron Eden. Lefner had retired the first six batters he faced until the ninth inning rolled around. Menlo Park mounted their own comeback in the ninth by putting up five runs of their own on only one hit. They received five walks four walks from Caps pitcher Lucas Krull, and then Bishop came up and smashed an opposite field homerun to left center. The three-run shot was his second of the summer and gave him five runs batted in on the day. Unfortunately the rally would fall short as the third out was eventually recorded and the Caps would take the victory on a gorgeous day for baseball.
The two sides will meet again on Sunday for the final game of the two game set, and the third meeting of the summer. The game will start at 1:00 PM at Palo Alto High School and if you are unable to attend, coverage will be provided on the Menlo Park Legends Radio Network.
