CHASKA — Steve Serratore scored the winning run for the Austin Blue Sox in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday night as they beat the Chaska Cubs in a Class B amateur baseball game.
A single by Serratore started the winning rally. Alan May then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position.
Casey Toops next delivered the winning RBI with a base hit to plate Serratore in the 3-2 win for the Blue Sox at the Chaska Athletic Park.
Not only did Toops come through with the decisive hit, he followed that by pitching a scoreless bottom of the ninth for the save.
Nels Nelson was the starting pitcher for the Blue Sox and went five innings on the hill, but didn't figure in the final decision. Aaron Port pitched three innings of relief to the get the win.
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"Nels did a great job and only allowed one hit through five innings, but we didn't want to him to throw too many pitches," Blue Sox player/manager Jaime Pratt said. "We brought in Port in the sixth and they got a couple of runs with two outs. Then he settled down and pitched two scoreless innings to get the win."
Darin Wagner got the scoring started for the Blue Sox with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. The homer by Wagner to right field gave the visitors a 1-0 lead and they would add to it a couple of innings later.
In the top of the sixth, Andy Swank got another rally rolling with a single to lead off the inning. Dan Swift followed with a single to move Swank into scoring position at second base. Tyler Nelson then stroked another single to give the Blue Sox a 2-0 lead.
After his trouble in the bottom of the sixth, Port pitched a one-two-three seventh inning. Yet, getting this road win wouldn't be easy for the Blue Sox. Port had to work out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and then turned it over to Toops.
"Toops allowed one hit and a walk in the bottom of the ninth as they threatened with two runners aboard," Pratt said of the close call on the road. "Casey then bore down and got three straight outs for the save."
Austin Blue Sox (16-7) return home to Marcusen Park on Friday night for a game against Blue Earth.
AMATEUR BASEBALL
Blue Sox 3, Chaska Cubs 2
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Blue Sox 010 001 001 — 3 10 1
Chaska 000 002 000 — 2 5 0
Austin Blue Sox:Casey Toops 2-for-4, RBI; Dan Swift 1-for-4; Andy Swank 2-for-4, run; Darin Wagner 1-for-4, HR, run, RBI; Joey Kroc 1-for-3; Tyler Nelson 1-for-4, RBI; Steve Serratore 2-for-4, run. SP: Nels Nelson 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. WP: Aaron Port 3 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 K. SV: Toops 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 K.
