DODGERS TAKE TWO FROM YORKIES
-Jericho,NY

A struggling Dodgers tean squared off in a double header against the 6-1 New Yorkers. Game 1 started off the same way the Dodgers left off last week, not getting timely hits. The Dodgers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Tom Russo. The score stayed 1-0 til the bottom of the third when the New Yorkers dropped 3 runs. The Dodgers would cut the lead to 3-2 on an RBI single by Jeff Dallo, driving in Joe Mainiero who came off a plane this morning from florida. The bottom of the 5th was where the wheels started to fall off. After a leadoff single, the Dodgers botched two bunt attempts allowing the bases to be loaded. Three errors and four hits later, the New Yorkers added another 8 runs. Allen Liu came on to get the last 2 outs. Tails went between the legs in the top 6 as the Dodgers went down quietly, and being the first game of a double header and not wanting to waste the bullpen, Shawn Stein came in to pitch. After 2 leadoff hits in the 6th, the New Yorkers went down quietly. Still Trailing 11-2 in the top of the 7th, Teddy Jaeger started a rally with a leadoff single. After Jason Hegeman struck out, Joe Mainiero grouned into a fielders choice. Mike Etkin came up as a pinch hitter for Dallo and singled to right. Allen Liu hit a high fly to right which seamed to be a problem for both teams as the rightfielder dropped the ball and two runs came in to score. Dennis Treulieb would add another hit to drive in a run and cut the New Yorker lead to 11-5. After another quiet inning by the New Yorkers, Travis Mussaw led off the top of the 8th with a Homerun over the right-centerfield fence. Stein followed it up with a single, and Will Slavik hit an identical shot to Mussaw's for a two run homer. Teddy Jaeger would walk and reach second on a passball, and Jason Hegeman would drive him in to cut the score to 11-9. Stein retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the 8th before a throwing error and a single gave the New Yorkers a 12-9 lead. Dennis Treulieb started off the top 9 with a leadoff single. Consecutive walks to Russo and Mussaw loaded the bases for Bobby Stankovic, who was brought in as a pinch runner for Stein in the previous inning. Stankovic drew a key walk as the New Yorkers pitcher, Ryan Harold, was obviously just out of gas after pitching a great game. This was also the first time I have seen a pitcher re-enter a game after being taken out. Trailing 12-10 now, with no outs, Will Slavik came up big with a 2 run single to tie the game at 12. Jason Hegeman, who had a very rough game defensively in right, redeemed himself with a sac fly to center to drive in Stankovic with the go ahead run. Joe Mainiero then hit a bomb to left for an RBI triple to make the score 14-12. Mike Etkin came in for his first save situation of the year and struck out the side to close it out in a great overall team win. Everyone contributed.

Game 2

The second game was more of a pitchers duel between Sean Finn and Pete Abrami. Abrami just sruck everyone out, and Finn got groundballs all game. After a scoreless top of the first, Tom Russo doubled in Liu to make the score 1-0. The score would stay 1-0 til the top of the 3rd where the New Yorkers would score their first 2 runs of the game, the second coming an on overthrow on an attempted steal of third. The New Yorkers would add another unearned run in the top of the 5th to make the score 3-1. After consecutive singles by Jaeger and Dallo, Allen Liu drove in his first run of the season to cut the lead to 3-2. Finn continued to battle and held the 3-2 score into the bottom of the seventh, when the Dodgers bats finally woke up after leaving the bases loaded with 1 out twice in this game. With 2 outs in the 7th, Liu doubled, Mainiero reached base on an error, and Russo (again) got hit by a pitch, setting the stage for another bases loaded showdown for Mussaw who had struckout twice with the bases juiced in this game. This time Mussaw would not be denied as he lined a shot up the middle to drive in 2, and Will Slavik singled home another run to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead. Finn came out to start the top 8th, but allowed a leadoff triple to leftcenter. Stein called on Mike Etkin to come in for his second save situation of the day, this time a 6 out save was needed. After the first batter hit a sac fly to right, Etkin retired the side. After not making any noise in the bottom of the 8th, Etkin came out and struck out the first two batters, and a groundout to Dallo at second ended the game. The Dodgers displayed guts by coming out and sweeping both games of a double header in comeback fashion. 
                                                                  

DALLO MOMENT OF THE WEEK:
Joe Mainiero for singing in the outfield, and doing an Enrico Pollazzo chant