Blaze Winterstein doesn’t get many opportunities to step out in front of the plate and actually play in fair territory when Martin Oil is in the field. On Monday evening at Bellwood’s Stadium Drive Field, Winterstein limited Dick’s Pharmacy to just a one-out infield single in a five-inning complete game 10-0 win over the Pharmacy.
Winterstein retired the first six hitters before issuing a walk to Tyler McCaulley to open the third frame. After Calvin Yon sacrificed McCaulley up 90 feet to second base, Cory Kutruff bounced a ball deep in the hole between short and third. Martin Oil shortstop Chris Alley got to the ball, but couldn’t throw Kutruff out from deep short. Winterstein got the side out on two fly outs to preserve the string of goose eggs and then set down the final six batters as well to record the one-hit shutout.
Winterstein and his Martin Oil teammates continued their hot-hitting attack, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second, three in the third and four in the fifth to put a short end to the contest, via the 10-run Mercy Rule.
Troy Brunner opened the second inning with a single. With Brunner going on the hit and run, Chris Alley ripped a double off the high fence in left field to score Brunner all the way from first. Chad Coho was safe on a fielder’s choice when Dick’s Pharmacy got no one. Both runners moved up a base on a double steal. Winterstein knocked in Alley with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Dustin Harris singled to left to score Coho, then stole second base and scored on a single by Earnie Kelley.
An inning later, Martin Oil sent nine batters to the plate and scored three of them. Brunner doubled with one gone and stole third base. Alley was hit by a pitch. Coho singled to score Brunner. Alley was caught attempting to swipe third, and Winterstein was safe on an error. A single by Alex Miller scored Coho, and after Harris walked, Kelley also walked with the bases loaded to force in a run.
Finally in the bottom of the fifth. Martin Oil scored three times to end the game with just one out.
Winterstein singled and stole second base to begin the at-bat. Harris beat out an infield hit with one out and then also stole second. Winterstein scored on a wild pitch. Kelley drew his second walk of the game and Beech walked to load the bases. Garrett Rabold lined a pitch to right for a two-run single that scored Harris and Kelley to end the game.
“This was probably the best game we have played in all areas of the game at one time,” explained Martin Oil manager Ed Davis. “Blaze for only his second start since teener league or little league, threw five strong innings, only giving up one hit, and the guys played real good defense behind him, with no errors.
“Our hitting was timely, we had 10 hits again tonight. Garrett Rabold had a nice hit there in the bottom of the fifth to bring in two runs. A young 16-year old left hander against a left-handed pitcher standing in there and taking a cut at it. Dustin Harris had two hits, Troy Brunner hit a towering shot off the high fence and two hits. Chris Alley had a double. Tony DelGrosso gave us a real nice job behind the plate, playing baseball for the first time in two years. We just have to keep it together and see what happens.”
Martin Oil 10 Dick’s Pharmacy 0, 5 inn.
Dick’s Pharmacy – Gillmen, ss, 2-0-0; Harkins, 2b-cf, 2-0-0; Clouser, 3b, 2-0-0; McMillen, p-cf, 2-0-0; Newenberg, 1b, 2-0-0; Ross, lf, 2-0-0; McCaulley, c, 1-0-0; Yon, rf, 1-0-0; Kutruff, cf-p, 1-0-1. TOTALS 15-0-1.
Martin Oil – Kelley, 1b, 2-1-1; Beech, rf-2b, 3-0-0; Drost, ss, 1-0-0; Rabold, rf, 2-0-1; Brunner, lf, 3-2-2; Alley, 2b-ss, 2-1-1; Coho, 3b, 3-2-1; Winterstein, p, 2-1-1; Schilling, cr, 0-1-0; DelGrosso, c, 1-0-0; Miller, dh, 2-0-1; Harris, cf, 2-2-2. TOTALS 23-10-10.
Dick’s Pharmacy 000 00 0- 1- 2.
Martin Oil 043 03 10-10-0.
2B: Brunner, Alley.
RBI: Kelley 2, Rabold 2, Alley, Winterstein, Miller, Harris.
SO: McMillen 1, Winterstein 2.
BB: McMillen 4, Kutruff 1, Winterstein 1.
WP: Winterstein LP: McMillen
