Taylor Gesell homer seals 5-3 Madison victory
By Mark Kusenberger
tsrnsports.com
Special to SAsports.com
Taylor Gesell 2-run HR to right field gave the Madison Mavericks the breathing room they needed to hold on for a 5-3 victory over the Lee Volunteers Tuesday afternoon at North East Stadium.
Lee rallied for 2 runs in the 5th to make it 5-3, but never could get the go-ahead run to the plate.
Lee (took the lead in the first inning by working Madison starter and winner Matt Valley deep into the count. Danny Mendez hit a one-out single to center, then Jordan Leyva moved him to second with a base hit that leftfielder Julian Duran appeared to lose in the sun. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Mendez scored on an RBI grounder to shortstop by Xavy Melendez. Valley got Javier Figueroa to ground out to third and strand Duran, but Lee led 1-0 after one.
Madison, on the other hand, attacked Lee starter and loser Ernie Sanchez early in the count. Although Sanchez struck out no batters and walked 7 in his complete game effort, for three innings he made Madison batters hit his pitches.
Madison did put across two runs in the 2nd. Paul Silva led off with a single, then went to third on a Devin Myler sacrifice. Myler’s bunt went to the third baseman, and no Volunteers covered third; once the throw went to first, Silva dashed to third easily. Silva scored one a Taylor Gesell drive up the middle to tie the game.
One out later, Chris Penn drew a 5-pitch walk; ball four was a passed ball allowing Gesell to go to third. After one pitch to Bob Alonzo, Madison pulled off a delayed steal of home, with Penn staying alive in a rundown long enough for Gesell to score the go-ahead run.
Gesell and Penn were the only of Madison’s first 11 hitters to see more than 4 pitches. Sanchez retired the side on three pitches in the 3rd; although Lee went three-up-three-down in the 3rd, Valley needed 24 pitches to get through the inning because Lee hitters fouled off 7 two-strike pitches that inning. Only then did the Mavericks show patience.
In the top of the fourth, Nick Lee led off with a walk, stole second, then one out later scored on a Myler double to the left field wall. Myler’s courtesy runner Austin Loza scored when Gesell homered on a 1-0 pitch to make it 5-1 Madison.
Despite the lead, Madison was forced to go to the bullpen. After needing 90 pitches to get through four innings, Valley tired in the fifth. Joseph Martinez hit a popup that landed 20 feet in front of home plate amongst three Madison infielders; although the letter of the rulebook suggests that an error cannot be charged, this was a situation for which many have suggested the “team error” stat be invented. Mendez singled to deep short to put runners on second and third, then they both scored on Jordan Leyva’s double to right center field, making it 5-3 Madison. Leyva went to third on Melendez’ grounder, but went stranded when Valley struck out two to escape the jam.
Sanchez gave up no hits to Madison over the last 3 innings, although he walked 4 and hit a batter with a pitch. Julian Duran came in from left field to pitch the last two innings and earn a save.
With the win, Madison (16-9, 8-2 in 26-5A) remained tied for second place in 26-5A with the Smithson Valley Rangers. Lee falls to 7-16 overall and 3-7 in district.
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