Published July 30, 2020
By LUCAS SMITH
WAKEFIELD — Twi League action continued on a picturesque Wednesday night at Moulton Field, as the Brewers took on the Unknowns in a highly anticipated matchup.
Tom Caron started on the hill for the Unknowns. Brian Millea was on the mound for the Brewers, and he did not disappoint, pitching a complete game with five strikeouts and picking up a 14-2 win for the Brewers who claimed second place in the league.
The Brewers got the bases loaded early in the 1st after a Drew Betts single, a Matt Fiore hit by pitch, and John Halsey reaching on an error by third baseman Bryan Butt. Anthony Carbone got the Brewers on the scoreboard first on a single that scored Betts from third. The Brewers weren’t done in the top half of the first inning, as an error by shortstop Geoff Eriksen brought in a second run. Unknowns catcher Brendan Coughlin ended a rough first inning when he caught Mike Fiore attempting to steal second base.
Brewers ace Brian Millea came out as aggressive as ever in the 1st, lighting the strike zone up and picking off a runner at first base. The Unknowns got one run back in the inning after Brandon Panarese singled and came around to score, but this would be the most action the Unknown offense saw all night.
Errors told the story for the Unknown defense, as an error by Caron on the mound and a dropped fly ball by Luke Martin in left, scored two in the 2nd. The Brewers’ red hot bats were on all night long, as Betts picked up another base hit, and Carbone singled to score Chris Coombs. The Brewers’ run support allowed for Millea to make quick work of the Unknowns in the 2nd inning, as two flyouts and a grounder to third baseman Brendan Casey kept the score 5-1 in favor of the Brew Crew.
Things went from bad to worse for the Unknowns quickly, as Brewer baserunners mounted and Unknowns catcher Coughlin airmailed a ball into right field trying to throw a base runner out, scoring one. Betts walked and got into a pickle to end the inning, as another run crossed home plate, making the score 7-1 Brewers.
Millea picked up right where he left off in the bottom of the 3rd, adding two more strikeouts to his total. The Unknowns would tack on another run however, after second baseman Brett Maloney hit a moonshot triple to right field that scored Geoff Eriksen. Caron was replaced in the top of the 4th by right hander Adam Chanley, who got off to a slow start, hitting Coombs and Casey. Chanley would eventually get into a groove on the hill, and get out of another threatening attack by the Brewer offense.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, Brian Millea was as locked in as could be, getting Coughlin, Chanley and Sean Alexander to go down in order.
Chanley went back out for the 5th inning, his last, and halted the Brewers from adding any more runs to their total. This stoppage of the Brewers scoring runs would be short lived. Maloney would relieve Chanley of his duties in the 6th inning, but no relief would be provided, as the Brewers had Maloney’s number from the second he stepped onto the mound.
Chris Coombs kicked off the 6th inning by singling to center and advancing to second base after a Maloney wild pitch. John Zagaria would come off the bench for the Brewers and contribute in a big way, singling to center field scoring Coombs. Third baseman Brendan Casey kept the Brewers offense firing on all cylinders after a double scored Zagaria. Errors and Brewer baserunners climbed higher and higher in the 6th, as an error by shortstop Eriksen and another wild pitch by Maloney scored two. The icing on the cake for the Brewers came in the form of a Chris Coombs double, which scored three more runs, making the score 14-2, ending the rout.
The end of the 6th inning would be the last as darkness came, with yet another one, two, three Millea inning for the Brewers.
The Brewers (3-2) are in second place with six points – two games back of the undefeated Highlife who play the 1-4 Expos tonight, 6 p.m. at Moulton. The Brewers will get a day off to prepare for the 2-3 Loafers tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
