Late Rally Lifts Lake Monsters Over Bravehearts

Vermont plated three runs across final two innings

Three runs in the 8th and 9th innings lifted the Vermont Lake Monsters to a 5-4 win over the Worcester Bravehearts, re-branded temporarily as Los Bravos de Worcester, on Latino Heritage Night at Fitton Field Saturday.

Vermont jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the game’s first pitch, when Lake Monsters designated hitter Chone James clocked a solo home run to left field, but Worcester starter Jordan Gottesman (Endicott) bounced back to retire three straight hitters and the ’Hearts responded with two runs in the bottom of the 1st. CJ Egrie (Holy Cross) scored on a Cody Smith (Assumption) groundout, then Matt Milone (SUNY Maritime) drilled a run-scoring double to left field to put the Bravehearts ahead.

Egrie knocked a second-inning RBI single to left to make it 3-1, but Vermont drew within one when a wild pitch plated a run in the 3rd. In the 4th inning, Egrie manufactured a run when he was hit by a pitch with two outs, stole second, then advanced home on a pair of wild pitches.

Gottesman, the Division-III Pitcher of the Year in Region II at Endicott, exited the game with the Bravehearts ahead 4-2. The lefty went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. 

The game remained scoreless into the 8th inning, but the Lake Monsters rallied to tie the game, knotting the score after RBI singles by James and Joe Marini. Bolton’s James Borsari (Merrimack) entered in relief of Nick Coniglio (Northeastern) to record the final out of the top of 8th and keep the game tied. In the bottom half, a Bravehearts rally was cut short when Owen Pincince (New Haven) was cut down on the base path, and the 9th inning began in a 4-4 tie.

With two outs in the top of the 9th, Vermont’s Jeter Polledo drilled a run-scoring single to put Vermont ahead for good and, despite Smith’s two-out double, a strikeout ended the contest. Borsari (1-1) took the loss, while Vermont’s Sean Gamble (1-0) earned the win

Worcester (9-9) now sits in fifth place in the eight-team Futures League. The ’Hearts and Lake Monsters meet again at Fitton Field Sunday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.