FREDERICK, MD – The Ghost Hounds survived another late comeback on Monday, avoiding the sweep at the hands of the Rockers with a 10-8 win. Spire City launched three home runs in the contest and David Kubiak tossed seven spectacular innings to earn his seventh win.
The Ghost Hounds struck first scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Leobaldo Cabrera reached on an infield single and proceeded to steal both second and third base. Later in the inning, a slow roller from Jimmy Paredes forced a throwing error from shortstop Shed Long Jr, and the Ghost Hounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead.
A two out base hit by Brian Parreira saw Zander Wiel, who had been running on the full count pitch, to score all the way from first when Cabrera bobbled the ball in center field.
Ben Aklinski gave the Rockers a two-run lead with a blast to left field to lead off the third inning, his second longball of the series, making it a 3-1 game.
Craig Dedelow led off the bottom of the third inning with a single, and scored all the way from first on a double by Jose Marmolejos. The throw home sailed to the backstop, allowing Marmolejos to move to third. This allowed him to score easily on a Jimmy Paredes single, which knotted the game up at three.
After Cabrera led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single, Jose Marmolejos took starter Brandon Leibrandt deep to right field for his 19th home run of the season. Later in the inning, Kole Cottam and a returning Raudy Read went back-to-back, capping off a four-run frame for the Ghost Hounds which put them up 7-3.
Three more runs scored in the seventh inning for Spire City on a sacrifice fly by Read and a two run double by Scott Kelly.
With a 10-3 lead and Kubiak out of the game, the Ghost Hounds turned to Brendan Medoro. After a Ben Aklinski single and wild pitch resulted in a pair of runs, Medoro allowed a solo shot to Quincy Latimore, who finished the series with three blasts. After a Beau Taylor strikeout, Zander Wiel launched a solo blast of his own, cutting the game to 10-7, and forcing Victor Capellan into the game.
Capellan was able to get Dai-Kang Yang to ground out back to the mound to escape the eighth inning without any more runs.
In the ninth, Michael Martinez hit a solo shot but Capellan did not allow anything else, closing down his first save with the Ghost Hounds, who ended a five-game skid and avoided the sweep with a 10-8 win.
Notes:
- David Kubiak earned his seventh win, throwing seven innings of three run ball. He had seven strikeouts, including one in all but one inning. In the other inning, he rolled an inning ending double play
- Jeremy Rhoades struck out the side in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.
