GLENS FALLS John Mayotte saw the final three innings of
Sunday’s game from an unusual perspective.
The Glens Falls head coach had a partially obstructed view from a
bench just outside the front gate. He was later joined by outfielder
Justin Zumwalde.
The two were ejected during the Golden Eagles’ 3-2 loss to the
Saratoga Phillies at East Field. The Eagles were at odds with
umpires for much of the game, most notably over a strike call in the
sixth inning and a balk in the seventh.
But the Eagles also had themselves to blame. They ran their way out
of two or three innings.
"We’ve made some baserunning mistakes the last few
games," Mayotte said. "In close games, they hurt you. When
you’re winning 12-7 (as the Eagles did Saturday night against
Watertown), you don’t think anything about it afterwards."
The Phillies, on the other hand, were pretty efficient in getting
the job done. Their pitchers worked out of several jams and they
made the best of their six hits.
There was only one inning in which the Phillies had more than one
hit. That was the fourth, when Mike Augustine drove in a run with
the third straight single of the inning. A double play accounted for
the second run.
That left the Golden Eagles down 2-1, and their frustrations grew
from there.
In the sixth, Francisco Moreno led off with a single and Anthony
Giansanti came up in bunting mode. He took a 3-2 pitch and began
trotting to first when the strike call came.
After the inning, Mayotte stopped to talk with the home plate umpire
about the strike call and was ejected.
"I don’t like (being ejected)," Mayotte said.
"It’s the first time I’ve been kicked out in three or four
years. It’s not something you like to do. You’ve got to protect
your players if things are getting out of control."
In the top of the seventh, Matt Carvutto led off with a double and
went to third on a sacrifice. With two outs, he scored the eventual
game-winning run when Kellen Candau was called for a balk.
It looked like a standard "31" pickoff move, where the
pitcher fakes to third and throws to first. According to Candau, the
umpire said he stepped toward home on the throw to third, a decision
Candau disputed.
"It wasn’t my best move, either," he said.
The Eagles scored a run in the eighth on a wild pitch, but the
inning ended with Zumwalde taking a called third strike. He
questioned the strike call and drew a line in the dirt, which will
usually get you in trouble with the umpires. Zumwalde took a seat
beside Mayotte outside the front gate.
Other failed opportunities, however, could only be blamed on the
Eagles:
u In the second, Eric Phillips doubled, but was thrown out trying to
make third base on an overthrow. It was not close.
u In the third, Conner Gandossy was doubled off second on a line
drive to center field.
u In the sixth, Moreno tried to steal third with two outs and was
cut down pretty easily.
The Eagles could at least take solace in their pitching. Starter
Tony Dischler left after six innings and 78 pitches, having allowed
only four hits and one walk.
SARATOGA GLENS FALLS
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Allaire, 3b 4 0 0 0 Moreno, ss 4 0 2 0
Rose, cf 3 1 1 0 Giansanti, cf-rf 4 0 0 0
Silverstein, ss 4 1 1 0 Jones, lf 2 0 0 0
Augustine, 1b 4 0 1 1 Zumwalde, rf 3 0 0 0
Carvutto, rf 4 1 1 0 Zavala, cf 0 0 0 0
Zeahino, dh 2 0 1 0 Lamont, 3b 3 0 0 0
Dimino, lf 3 0 0 0 Phillips, 2b 4 0 1 0
Bowers, ph 1 0 0 0 Berry, dh 4 1 1 0
Zeller, lf 0 0 0 0 Valdez, 1b 3 0 0 0
Reardon, c 2 0 1 0 Gandossy, c 3 1 2 1
McEleney, 2b 3 0 0 0
Totals 30 3 6 1 Totals 30 2 6 1
Saratoga 000 200 100 — 3
Glens Falls 001 000 010 — 2
E — Burgdorf, McEleney. DP — Glens Falls 2, Saratoga 2. LOB —
Saratoga 4, Glens Falls 4. 2B — Phillips, Gandossy 2, Carvutto. SB
— Reardon. SAC — Zeahino. CS — Moreno.
IP H R ER BB SO
Saratoga
Burgdorf (W) 6 4 1 1 2 7
Inman 1 2/3 2 1 1 1 1
Jesernig (S) 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 1
Glens Falls
Dischler (L) 6 4 2 2 1 7
Candau 2 1 1 1 1 1
A’Hearn 1 1 0 0 0 1
Reardon was charged with catcher’s interference.
HPB — by Candau (Rose). WP — Jesernig. Balk — Candau.