Bravehearts

Offense and Pitching Give Worcester the Win 

Gruszecki Goes Six, Dellicarri Homers Twice as Bravehearts Beat Rox 8-4. 

        

Brockton, MA —  It was 82 degrees and partly cloudy Tuesday night at Campanelli Stadium. The Worcester Bravehearts put together a great showing all around. Pitching was solid from the first pitch to the last, the offense was loud with ten hits and eight runs, four of which coming off the bat of right fielder Michael Dellicarri.

 

Sebastian Gruszecki got the start for the Bravehearts. Gruszecki was 3-2 coming into today’s game searching for that fourth win. Battling out of a couple jams, he was able to go six innings, allowing just one hit, two runs, one of which was earned, and striking out eight Rox hitters to get the win. Ed Lehr came on in relief pitching one inning, followed by Rob Stone and Dakota McFadden who combined for two innings of work. 

 

Worcester jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. Chris Rinaldi singled into left field, then the three hitter, Michael Dellicarri lifted one high into right field for a two-run home run. 

 

Brockton closed in on the lead in the bottom of the first after a lead-off walk from Zack Gelof. Gruszecki battled back and struck out two in a row. After a stolen base from Gelof, a ground ball hit to third by Richie Sobalvarro was fielded and thrown away allowing the run to score. 

 

In the top of the third Idelson Taveras reached on an error by the second basemen. Rinaldi then singled into shallow right field putting runners at the corners. Rinaldi then got caught in a rundown and in doing so, Taveras was able to break home and score to make the score 3-1. Edward Haus followed with a ground ball to second which allowed for the fourth run, Rinaldi, to score and make the lead 4-1. Dellicarri sent another shot deep to right field in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. He then singled later in the ninth and collected his fourth RBI of the game.  With the help of Haus, the Bravehearts stretched the lead to 8-2 in the ninth after a sacrifice fly. The Rox stole two in the bottom of the ninth to make the score 8-4 but that’s all they would get. 

 

Dellicarri talked about his two homeruns, he said “First at bat I swung threw a fastball first pitch so I knew he was going to come back with something off speed. He left a slider right over the plate and I hit it.” When asked about the second at bat Dellicarri said “I was just geared up first pitch for a fastball and that’s exactly what I got.”

 

The Bravehearts are back home tomorrow July 11, 2018 at 10:30 am to take on the Pittsfield Suns, then go back on the road on July 12 to play the North Shore Navigators at 7:00 pm and the Nashua Silver Knights on July 13 at 6:45 pm.