Cutters Offense Comes Back to Life in Win
Wappingers Falls, NY - The Williamsport Crosscutters snapped a three game losing streak Thursday night with an 8-3 win against Hudson Valley. The Cutters with the win also snapped a five game losing streak against teams from the McNamara Division.
The Cutters would start off the night with a leadoff single from Zach Coppola. Coppola would come around to score on Josh Tobias' second home run of the season and first as a right handed batter giving the Cutters a 2-0 lead. The early offense was welcomed with open arms by Cutters starter Jose Taveras as he went on to strikeout four of the first eight batters he faced.
Williamsport added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as Mark Laird kicked off the inning with a single. Laird would take second base on an error by the shortstop and eventually home on a wild pitch by Renegades starter Travis Ott to make it a 3-0 game. Hudson Valley rallied against Taveras in the fourth inning scoring two runs to cut the lead to 3-2 and put some pressure on the Cutters. Taveras saved his best inning for last as in the fifth he would work into and out of a bases loaded jam to keep the Renegades off of the scoreboard.
The Cutters opened up the flood gates in the top of the seventh inning against the Renegades. Leading 4-2 Williamsport would load the bases up for Gregori Rivero thanks to a single, a hit batter and a walk. Rivero would not disappoint, connecting for his second home run of the season and first with the bases loaded to give the Cutters an 8-2 lead. Hudson Valley would tack on a run in the bottom of the eighth inning against Cutters reliever Skylar Hunter. Hunter worked his way out of trouble in the inning by the leaving the bases loaded. Sutter McLoughlin picked up a hold in his first outing with the Cutters working a clean sixth inning.
The Cutters are now 22-11 on the season as Taveras moves to 4-1 on the season and ties Mitch Gueller for the team lead in wins. Up next for the Cutters is a trip to Aberdeen to face the IronBirds for the first time this season. The three game series will kick off on Friday night. First pitch from Ripken Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. The Cutters return home to Susquehanna Bank Park on Tuesday July 28th as they host the Lowell Spinners. It will be Cutters Food Drive Night as fans can donate 2 canned or non-perishable food items and receive a FREE general admission ticket or half-priced box seat ticket. All food will be donated to the Central PA Food Bank and is presented by ConAgra Food and WRAK.
Fans can order tickets online at Crosscutters.com/Tickets, via phone at (570) 326-3389 or in-person at Susquehanna Bank Park Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. The box office will then open for the game at 5:30 pm. All Crosscutters ticket, schedule and promotional information can be found at www.crosscutters.com.
Cutter Carvings -- Josh Tobias finished the night 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and a double shy of the cycle… Jose Pujols went 3 for 5 with an RBI… Mark Laird went 2 for 3 with a run scored… Gregori Rivero finished 1 for 5 with a grand slam... Jacob Waguespack made his Cutters debut tossing a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and striking out two batters...