Sam Kane – photo by Liz Wolter
Sam Kane hit a two-run home run with two out in the bottom of the eighth to give the Redhawks a one-run win in a very good ball game at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue.
This game was close all the way. The Thunderbirds led 5-4 going into the bottom of the eighth. The Redhawks tied it with an RBI double by Sebastian Lopez. They took the lead with a sacrifice fly by Jared Stevenson, and then added Kane’s home run for an 8-5 lead. Jonny McGill hit a two-run home run with two out to make it 8-7, but a ground out ended it.
Kaden Alberghini got the win. He entered the game in the fifth inning, pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowed three runs (only one of them earned) on five hits. Reid Madariaga pitched the ninth inning, allowed two runs on two hits, struck out one, got the save. None of the Thunderbirds’ starting pitchers made the trip. They used six pitchers. The last one, Alex Lee, got the loss. Dylan Myttenar, who pitched the third inning, was especially effective; he pitched the third inning, and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring with David Draayers getting an RBI in the top of the second inning by reaching on a fielder’s choice. The Redhawks got a two-RBI single by Tervell Johnson and an RBI double by Reese Harmon in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. The Thunderbirds tied it in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by McGill and an RBI double by Trent Lenihan. The Redhawks took the lead again in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double by Reese Harmon. The Thunderbirds tied it 4-4 in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by Draayers. The Redhawks got a double play in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Tyler Peterson dropped a perfect bunt single, but the Thunderbirds canceled it with an excellent inning-ending double play. Aaron Marsh led off the top of the eighth with a solo home run to give the Thunderbirds a 5-4 lead.
Harmon finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. McGill finished 4-for-5 with the home run and three RBI. The game took 2:20 to play. box score recap
