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Staten Island Yankees Recap: Yanks Drop Game 1 To West Virginia In 11 Innings

By Ricky Keeler

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Last night, the Staten Island Yankees began their best-of-3 New York-Penn League Championship series against the West Virginia Black Bears (Pittsburgh Pirates) in Morgantown. The game held true to form with the three games these two teams played in July. It was a close game, but the Black Bears found a way to win it, 4-3, with a walk-off single by Daniel Arribas in the bottom of the 11th against Michael Schaub. West Virginia is now 4-0 against Staten Island this season and they have a 1-0 lead in the series.

It was the Baby Bombers who got on the board first against starter Jonathan Brubaker. In the top of the second inning, Zack Zehner hit a two-out solo shot to left field to give the Yankees an early 1-0 lead. However, that would be the only success the team would have against Brubaker.

Kolton Mahoney would take the ball for the Yankees, but he had some command issues last night. In the bottom of the third, Mahoney gave up back-to-back bunt singles to begin the inning. Later in the frame, after Logan Hill was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded for first baseman Carlos Munoz. Munoz would hit a bases clearing triple to dead center field to give the Black Bears a 3-1 lead. As for Mahoney, he went three innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out two, and walked two on 62 pitches (36 strikes).

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Staten Island would turn to Luis Cedeno to try to keep them in the game and Cedeno did a good job in relief. He went six innings, gave up no runs on five hits, struck out eight (season-high), and walked one. As for Brubaker, he gave up only one run on two hits over six innings, striking out six batters, and walking one. The Yankees would end up tying the game against the Black Bears’ bullpen in the eighth against Tanner Anderson.

After a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter Drew Bridges, Zehner hit a double to left field that allowed Bridges to score, cutting the lead to 3-2. The Yanks would end up tying the game two batters later against Tate Scioneaux when another pinch-hitter, Brandon Wagner, hit a RBI groundout to third.

The Yanks had an opportunity to take the lead when the game went to extra innings. In the top of the tenth, Pat Osborn’s team loaded the bases with one out. But, Danienger Perez struck out swinging in his first at-bat and Thairo Estrada grounded out to second to end the inning.

One inning later, the Black Bears took advantage of a fielding mistake by the Yanks as Mitchell Tolman hit an infield single and advanced to second on an errant throw by Perez. Jonny Drozd would walk Christian Kelley on four pitches and Ty Moore would lay down a sacrifice bunt to put the winning run on third.

Osborn would go to his bullpen to bring in Michael Schaub to try to get out of the jam. However, the first batter he faced, Daniel Arribas, would line a base hit to center field to drive in Tolman and win the game. Daniel Zamora got the win for pitching a 1-2-3 11th inning while Drozd took the loss.

Next Game: The Staten Island Yankees will look to avoid elimination tonight at Richmond County Bank Ballpark at 7:05 PM ET against the West Virginia Black Bears. The Yankees’ first round pick in this year’s draft, James Kaprielian, will get the start for the Baby Bombers against Dario Agrazal for the Black Bears. If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, you can watch the game on MILB.TV.

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