Doubledays get another one-run win over Lake Monsters

AUBURN, N.Y. - The Auburn Doubledays (23-14) earned their second one-run win over the Vermont Lake Monsters (18-20) in as many games, pulling off a 6-5 victory in front of 1,401 at Falcon Park on Thursday night. With the win the Doubledays record in one-run games this summer improves to 12-4.

The winning run was scored in the bottom of the eighth by RF Estarlin Martinez. He got aboard with a walk to begin the inning, and two batters later DH Craig Manuel also drew a walk to put runners at first and second with one out. Second baseman Tony Renda drove Martinez home with a single to left, his third hit of the night.

Auburn tied the game an inning before when another leadoff walk ended up costing the Lake Monsters. This time it was 1B Carlos Lopez who was issued the walk, and he stole second to get into scoring position. A single by SS Wes Schill drove Lopez to third, and Lopez scored when CF Brett Vertigan overthrew the cutoff man, getting charged for a throwing error as a result.

Vermont had been down 4-2, but the Lake Monsters posted three in the sixth to take their first and only lead in the game. The three runs came on a homerun from LF John Wooten, his third of the summer. The two other Vermont runs also came on a homerun, just an inning before. Down 2-0 at the time, catcher Reynaldo Mateo tied it with a shot over the left field wall, his first homer of the year. Both homeruns were hit off Doubledays starter LHP Nick Lee.

Auburn got one run each in the first and second innings to take the 2-0 lead heading into the fifth. In the first it was a solo homerun from 3B Anthony Rendon that put the Doubledays on the scoreboard. The sixth overall draft pick by the Nationals in 2011 was making his first rehab start with the Doubledays. In the second, Manuel leadoff with a double, and was pushed to third on a single by Renda. Manuel then scored on a fielder's choice grounded into by starting SS Stephen Perez.

The Doubledays broke the 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a two-run single by catcher Spencer Kieboom, which gives him nine RBI on the season. Earning the win for Auburn was RHP Pedro Encarnacion (3-1), who threw 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. RHP Drew Gagnier (1-1) suffered the loss and blown save for Vermont. He let up one run in 1.1 innings of work.

The Doubledays finish up their three-game series with the Lake Monsters on Friday, July 27. Auburn will send RHP Ivan Pineyro (0-1) to the mound for his second start of the year. He will square off against LHP Brent Powers (0-2) for Vermont. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm. There is a pre-game happy hour from 5:00pm - 7:00pm with special food and beverage discounts prior to every Friday home game this summer. Tickets available by calling the Doubledays box office at 315-255-2489 or by going online to www.auburndoubledays.com.