Week 5: Plugs best 'Topes to remain unbeaten, Grays whitewash Phils, Goats head-butt Wonders

Pres Pieraccini of the Goats stares in at the Wonders batter in Wednesday's game in Agawam.
Patrick Johnson photo

Plug Uglies 9
Isotopes 2

WP:Jeff Whitehead, LP: Gary Webber

In the battle of the unbeatens, the league champion Plug Uglies thumped the upstart Isotopes 9-2 at Herlihy Park.

The combo of Greg "E-bomb" Elbaum and Jeff Whitehead shut down the 'Topes, besting Gary Webber who went the distance.
Offensively, the Uglies broke out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Whitehead doubled to plate one and then came around to score.

In the top of the 3rd, Matt Boulanger doubled to drive in Elbaum to make it 3-0. In the 5th, Mike Olkin, Bill Evans, and Jeff Cabana each doubled as the Plugs plated 6 to put the game out of reach.

Whitehead got the win in relief of Elbaum who was cruising through 3 scoreless innings before leaving with an injury in the 4th. Whitehead came on and continued shutting the 'Topes until they scored 2 in the 6th. Combined, Elbaum and Whitehead (Elhead? Whitebaum?) gave up 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned) walked 1 and struck out 7.

Webber went the distance, striking out 6, but was dashed by some key Plug hits and some spotty defense.

Whitehead went 1-3, scored 2 and drove in 2, and Olkin was 1-2 with a doubled and drove in 2.

Fainting Goats 10
Wonders 3

WP: Pres Pieraccini, Sv: Tom Conway

LP: Nabil Hannoush

A patch-work pitching lineup of Pres Pieraccini, Jerold Duquette, and Tom Conway shut down the Ageless Wonders™, as the Goats offense broke open a 2-2 tie with 8 straight runs.

The win is the Goats' first of the year, and in keeping with tradition following wins, they will be called the GOATs for the remainder of this recap.

Pieraccini started and went 3 innings, allowing 2 runs. Jerold Duquette went 3 in relief allowing 2, and got the GOATs out of a bases-loaded jam in the 5th by inducing a 6-4-3 double play.

Conway came on for the scoreless save in the 7th. After the leadoff batter reached on a single and moved to second on an error, Conway got a pickoff at second to snuff out a Wonders rally before it could begin.

The GOATs stars on offense were Tony Maspo who was 1 for 1 with 2 walks and scored runs 2.Conway and Duquette were each 2-3 with 3 runs scored, and Hector Arroyo was 2-2 with 3 RBI.

Phillies 0
Dorian Grays 3

WP: Mike "Knuckles" Whately, LP: Ken "GDIK" Sloat.

The Phillies, fresh off their first win of the season last week vs. the Goats, ran into the Grays, who coincidentally were looking for their first win of the season. In a game featuring pitching and defense, the Grays shut down and shutout the Phils as Mike "Knuckles" Whately bested Ken Sloat.

Two of the three double plays in the game belonged to the Grays defense that stymied the Phillies scoring chances. Sloat pitched another gem in a terrific pitcher's duel. Total time of the game was about 1 1/2 hours, still some daylight left as the teams headed home.

JR Ross had two singles for the Phillies and did a fine job in his first game at catcher this season. The only other Phillies hits were singles by Gordon Lustila and Sloat.

Mike 'Deet' Dietlin had two doubles for the Grays and Brian Krylowicz added two singles. Don Edwards, Jay Sadowski and Marty 'The Cat' Newman had one hit each.

Whately gave up just 4 hits in the complete game win, recording 4 strikeouts. Sloat took the hard loss while pitching well, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits. He struck out 2.

Standings