Bravehearts

Worcester Rocks Brockton

 

Worcester, MA – Facing a three-run deficit, the Bravehearts exploded for eight runs in the fifth inning to come back and beat the Rox, 12-7, at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on Monday night.

 

The scoring barrage in bottom of the fifth inning began with a Jon Hansen two-run homerun after Paul Gozzo reached on a walk. The homerun chased reliever Dante Moran from the game, and Shane Kittila replaced. Kittila walked Idelson Taveras before striking out Mariano Ricciardi, but the Bravehearts’ bats came alive with two outs.

 

Eddie Haus walked, and Michael Dellicarri followed with a two-run double. Dustin Harris singled home Dellicarri, and Kirk Sidwell moved Harris to third on a single of his own. Jack Gonzalez singled home Harris, and Paul Gozzo doubled to score Gonzalez and Sidwell. Kittila had to be replaced by Casey Bussone to stop the bleeding.

 

Brockton (22-22) scored first with three runs in the second inning off of Worcester starter Jared Freilich, highlighted by a Jared Sharkey two-run homerun. The Rox forced an early exit from Freilich in the fourth inning thanks to another three-run outburst. Joe Lomuscio ripped a two-RBI double in that fourth inning. Brockton scored another run in the fifth courtesy of a Jack Arend RBI-single.

 

Worcester (28-15) scored two runs in each of the third and fourth innings to chip into that early Brockton lead. Edward Haus and Kirk Sidwell each recorded RBI singles in the third. In the fourth inning, Taveras scored on a fielder’s choice and Harris singled home Ricciardi.

 

Freilich lasted just 3.2 innings for the Bravehearts, allowed six runs on five hits, walked five, and struck out three. Rob Cerulle relieved Freilich and allowed just one run in 2.1 innings of work. Edward Lehr and Dakota McFadden worked the final three innings without allowing a run.

 

Brockton starter George Goldstein pitched three innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Moran allowed four runs in 1.1 innings, but most of the damage was done against Kittila in the fifth inning with Worcester scoring six runs off the righty.

 

Every Braveheart recorded a hit. Harris finished 4-5 with two RBI and Taveras went 3-4. Dellicarri, Gozzo, and Hansen also had two RBI. Ricciardi, Haus, and Sidwell had a multi-hit game as well. Sharkey finished 3-3 for Brockton with three RBI. Arend and Charlie Maxwell also had two hits for the Rox.

Worcester is back home tomorrow against North Shore looking for three wins in a row. First pitch is at 6:30.