SOUTHGATE — July 22 — Former SweatSox hurler Dave Rotari once again proved to be a thorn in the side of his old club, tossing a complete-game two-hitter to lead the Orleans Lynx to a 4-1 victory over the SweatSox on Tuesday night.
The win improved the Lynx to 9-7 and completed a 2-0 season-series sweep over the SweatSox, who fell to 9-7 after entering the contest at 9-6.
Rotari was in command from the outset, allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out eight over seven innings. It marked his fourth straight victory over the SweatSox dating back to the memorable 2004 Tier 4 playoffs, when he went 2-0 for the eighth-seeded Hurricanes in a shocking quarterfinal sweep of the pennant-winning SweatSox.
“I’ve always really enjoyed the competition against those guys,” said Rotari after the win. “To strike out names like Eric White, Kent Johnston, Cory Bond, Craig Cornell, Shaun Keay and Andrew Hierlihy over the years means a lot. The only regret I had tonight was not being able to strike out Phil Leduc… or interfere with him again.”
The SweatSox managed to strike first in the top of the fourth inning, capitalizing on a Lynx miscue to take a 1-0 lead. But the advantage was short-lived.
Orleans answered immediately in the bottom half, pushing across three runs on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. The Lynx then added an insurance marker in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Missed Opportunity Looms Large
The defining moment came earlier in the fourth inning when the SweatSox had a golden chance to break the game open. Already leading 1-0, they loaded the bases with one out and had Rotari on the ropes.
Instead, the veteran right-hander responded by striking out Steve Brown before retiring Mark Bond on a long fly ball to the warning track.
“That was the inning right there,” said SweatSox manager Cory Bond, who remains stuck on 169 career managerial wins. “We had a chance to put some real pressure on them and couldn’t cash in. Full credit to Dave Rotari — he shut us down again.”
Ramage Battles in Tough-Luck Loss
Josh Ramage went the distance for the SweatSox, allowing eight hits and four runs while walking one and striking out two over six innings.
Despite the solid effort, Ramage was left frustrated by the club’s lack of offensive sharpness following an extended layoff.
“It’s pretty clear we didn’t practice or hit the cages during the break,” Ramage said. “You can’t just show up and expect timing to magically appear.”
Ramage also earned Offensive Player of the Game honours for the SweatSox after reaching base twice via walk, giving him three free passes on the season.
“Honestly, I wish I could play all nine positions on defense and bat in all nine spots in the lineup,” Ramage added. “Then maybe the SweatSox could finally reach their full potential.”
Henderson Shines Defensively
Nick Henderson was named Defensive Player of the Game after a stellar night at second base, recording four assists and a putout while anchoring the infield.
Henderson also collected one of the team’s two hits and added the lone SweatSox stolen base.
Catcher Phil Leduc chipped in defensively as well, earning a rare U2 putout in the second inning.
Brown Earns Sweatiest Player of the Game
Steve Brown took home Sweatiest Player of the Game honours after a taxing evening that included repeated sprints from the third-base dugout to right field and a lengthy chase of a triple that rattled around the corner.
Seeking recovery time, Brown struck out in both plate appearances.
“Why did I sign up for this kind of punishment?” Brown wondered afterward between deep breaths.
Lynx Get Contributions Throughout Lineup
Matt Prosper paced the Lynx attack, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI. Ryan Bradley added two doubles and scored twice, while left fielder Ryan Davidson was flawless on three chances, snuffing out multiple SweatSox threats.
Lynx manager John Mendonca, a former SweatSox member himself, reflected on the win afterward.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for that organization,” said Mendonca. “They’re a legendary team built by my former mentor Doug Dorion. It always feels good to beat a club with that kind of history.”
Up Next
The SweatSox return to action Thursday night at Kinsmen Park when they host the Barons. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m.
Final SweatSox vs Lynx Notes/Thoughts:
- You can never bet against a Mark Kusky coached team.
- Two half losers makes one full loser.
- Most guys don’t blow their wad and go full honey badger on the opening draw. Phil isn’t most guys.
- In a jack off competition, Ross is always the heavy favourite.
- The most Kent will pay for a putter is $699. $700 is where he draws the line.
- No one is calling anyone a loser, we just know we’re losers whenever we lose.
- When Trevor isn’t here, who is going to step up and set the tone? Nobody.
- Kent’s baseball productivity declines sharply at 9:30pm.
- Larry fouled a ball off his dick, and surprisingly didn’t pull it out to show us.
- Is it pronounced Rotari or Rotari?
- Craig doesn’t like people reading to him.
- There’s no better feeling than a good old fashioned docking.
- Harry Potter is for grade 3’s, and Pokémon is for grade 4’s.
- If you’ve never seen them, you’ll never believe what happens in Apollo 13, Titanic, and Oppenheimer.
- Laquisha is not the new Silver Surfer.
- Black Kang is back.
- The ideal audio book speed is 1.25, so long as you don’t drift off.
- The next Voldemort is going to be an old Asian lady who looks kinda young.
#LOSTTHEHYJINX