Game 10 Recap: Gulls 7, Mountaineers 4

Newport's Jake Cousins held Vermont in check over seven strong innings. 

After being held in check through the first eight innings, Vermont’s bats showed signs of life when the Mountaineers were down to their final outs of Tuesday night’s game against the Newport Gulls.

Trailing 7-1 entering the final inning, Mikael Mogues hit a two-run home run and Troy Scocca added a pinch-hit, RBI single. Vermont trailed by three, had runners on the corners, and one of their hottest hitters, Jeremy McCuin, was at the plate.

   But McCuin grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base, and the Mountaineers’ struggles to open the 2016 season continued with a 7-4 loss to the Gulls.

   Vermont right-hander Jonathan Stiever was cruising through four innings, carrying over his success from his previous two starts. It all unraveled in the fifth, as Newport scored five runs and chased Stiever with two outs in the inning. The five-run deficit was too much for Vermont’s offense to overcome, as a rally eventually fell short.

   Much of the blame falls on the Mountaineers defense, as three costly errors in the fifth inning resulted in two of the five runs that were earned.

   Stiever gave up a one-run double to Shane Matheny with one out, and Matheny scored on a two-out single to center from Cole Fabio. Fabio advanced to second when Vermont center fielder Joe Tietjen misplayed the ball. He scored on his ensuing steal attempt, as catcher Ryan Fineman sailed the throw down to third into left field, allowing Fabio to jog home.

   That chased Stiever, and reliever Christian Isbell let in a trio of runs — all unearned. Stephen Scott, who singled, came home on third baseman Gabe Levanti’s errant throw. Levanti’s throw skipped to the bullpen down the right-field line, allowing Jake Brodt to go all the way to third. He scored on a single from Ben Breazeale a few pitches later.

   It was a painful inning for the Mountaineers, who have lost eight of their first 10 games this season. Entering the night ranking last in fielding percentage, Vermont’s defensive woes only continued.

   With reliever Fitz Stadler on the mound for the ninth, Newport scratched across two more runs. Shane Matheny drew a leadoff walk, eventually coming across to score on a RBI single from Scott. Scott moved to third after a two-base throwing error on Levanti, and came home on a passed ball from defensive replacement Zeke Pinkham.

   The shaky defense has been costly this summer for the Mountaineers, who sit at a league-worst 2-8. They committed five errors in the loss, running their season total to 22 in 10 games — an unhealthy rate for any team.

   Newport right-hander Jake Cousins threw seven solid innings in his first start of the summer, earning the win. He retired the first 11 batters he faced, with Mikael Mogues the first base-runner, reaching via an infield single that kicked off Cousins’ leg.

   Vermont managed a lone run off of him, coming with two outs in the sixth. Will Morgan doubled to the wall in left-center, moved to third on a wild pitch, and trotted home after Cousins balked. It was the lone blip for him, though, as he scattered two hits and two walks over seven while striking out three.

   Newport’s Denny Brady struck out the side in the seventh, but Bradley Wilpon ran into trouble in the ninth.

   Wilpon gave up a two-run home run to Mogues, who launched one to right field despite falling behind 0-2 in the count. Gulls closer Blake Cairnes gave up a RBI single to Scocca, but avoided collapse by inducing McCuin’s groundout to end the inning.

   Cairnes picked up the save, his second of the summer. Stiever took the loss, his first.

   The Mountaineers will attempt to bounce back and even their record at home when they host the Southern Division-leading Ocean State Waves tonight at 6:30 p.m.. The Waves, winners of four straight, are a NECBL-best 9-2 this summer.