Baby Bombers Come From Behind To Beat Renegades

STATEN ISLAND, NY - Last year, the Staten Island Yankees made a habit of coming back late to win games en route to their third NY-Penn League championship. Lately, that's become the trend for this year's squad which sits atop the McNamara Division after another late rally to post a 5-4 victory over the Renegades (25-37) before 2,967 at Richmond County Ball Park Friday night.

"Another close one. Yesterday the same thing," Jon Poterson said after finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI ground rule double in the second which tied the score. "We know when we're down, we know we got a shot no matter what."

A night removed from another late comeback win at Hudson Valley, the Baby Bombers (39-23) pulled another magic rabit out of their hat. After the Renegades pushed three across in the top of the seventh to untie the game, the Bombers immediately responded with a two out rally to tie it.

After the first two batters struck out, left fielder Brian Aragon reached on Hudson Valley shortstop Jairo de la Rosa's error. After Chris Kunda singled, Ben Rulon came in for Jeremy Hellickson and walked Wilkins De La Rosa to load the bases to set the stage for NY-Penn League leading hitter Wilmer Pino. The second baseman delivered with a bases clearing double to tie it. Rulon finally K'd Mitch Hilligoss looking to end the inning.

With the game knotted, pitching coach Carlos Chantres opted to bring in closer Nick Peterson to pitch the eighth. He worked in and out of trouble stranding three before his teammates scratched out the go-ahead run on a Aragon sac fly which scored Colin Curtis.

"In that situation, you just want to put the ball in play," Aragon said. "It was a great win. We had a good crowd and a tie ballgame late in the game, it was good enough to wrap it up."

"The boys battled out there all night long," Chantres said. "We never give up. You got to keep going and swing the bat. [Pino] came up with a clutch hit. That was big for us right there. Tied the game up."

"We never give up. That's what we teach these guys. We play till the last out."

Given a one-run lead, Peterson (4-3) made it stand up by impressively striking out the side to give Staten Island its sixth consecutive home win.

Notes: Chantres managed the team in place of Gaylen Pitts, who was serving a suspension stemming from a recent incident at Brooklyn in which the already ejected skipper cameback out to argue over a third S.I. Yankee batter being plunked in their blowout win. ... In his first start for Staten Island, Angel Reyes went 4.2 innings on one run (unearned), three hits while fanning six. ... The game took three hours and 11 minutes to play. After it was completed, Fireworks were on display and then a special concert was performed as part of Merenge Night. ... Baby Bombers host Aberdeen later tonight.