Kinsmen Park — Thursday, July 24 — The SweatSox wasted no time getting the bats rolling Thursday night, piling up runs in bunches and cruising to a 21-3 victory over the Barons at Kinsmen Park.
Entering the night at 9-7, the SweatSox erupted for 12 runs off Barons starter Arianne Levesque before adding another 9 against reliever Jacob Monsour. The win improved the SweatSox to 10-7, while the Barons dropped to 8-9-1.
History was again on the side of the Sox offense. Since 2002, the club is now an eye-popping 63-1 when scoring 13 or more runs.
“It’s a pretty simple formula,” said SweatSox manager Cory Bond. “When you score 21, your chances usually improve.”
The SweatSox lineup was relentless from top to bottom. Kent Johnston, Josh Ramage, Steve Brown, and Craig Cornell each collected three hits in the hit parade. Cornell and Trevor Williams drove in four runs apiece, while Ramage crossed the plate a team-best four times.
Pitcher Eric White even joined the offensive fun, launching a leadoff home run in the second inning to provide himself with more than enough support.
White was equally effective on the mound, tossing a five-inning complete game. He allowed nine hits, three runs, and two walks while striking out six. His most impressive feat may have come late, as he pitched the fourth and fifth innings back-to-back with no rest after the SweatSox voluntarily took three automatic outs in an effort to beat the weather.
With dark clouds approaching and the SweatSox leading by 18, finishing the contest before the storm became the night’s biggest challenge. The Sox used every tactic available to speed things along, even gifting outs to move innings ahead.
The Barons, however, could have slowed things down and waited for the rain. Instead, manager Josh Primeau chose sportsmanship, taking an automatic out of his own to end the game officially before the storm arrived.
“That’s a classy move by Josh and the Barons,” Bond said. “Everyone wants to compete, but they also respected the game and everyone’s time. That’s how baseball should be handled.”
Primeau shrugged afterward.
“We’re trying to play the game the right way,” he said with a grin. “Unless we’re playing the Padres — then anything goes.”
One bright spot for the Barons came from James Clouthier, who worked an inning and two-thirds in relief and recorded four of his five outs via strikeout, including striking out the side in the fifth inning.
“Automatic strikeouts or not, they go in the book the same way,” he said. “I wasn’t even on the field for some of them, but it still counts in my personal record book.”
The SweatSox return to action Sunday night when they host the Rockets at Kinsmen Park. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
Final SweatSox vs Barons Notes/Thoughts:
- The Brewers-Athletics game after ours was eventually cancelled, not even Bill could clean up 50mm of rain that dropped down in a matter of minutes.
- Always beware of the crazy lady beside the boat launch.
- It doesn’t matter if it’s small, as long as it gets the job done.
- Rich Hill is a gamer and a winner.
- Brownshow is on beer?
- James Cloutier might be the best pitcher we’ve ever faced.
- It’s about time Eric got some run support.
- We are no longer a civilized nation.
- Training, prayers, and vitamins got Hulk to 71, as did cocaine and steroids.
#BEATTHERAIN