Friday, July 03, 2009
Mohawks Sweep DH at Saratoga 3-2 and 4-1

Mohawks sweep Saratoga

Amanda Comak from
The Recorder Sports Staff

SARATOGA SPRINGS - If there's one thing that's plagued the 2009 Amsterdam Mohawks it's been consistency at the plate. They've shown they can hit -- Tuesday night's 20-hit, 17-run barrage against Watertown is evidence of that -- and they've shown they can be quiet and frustrated offensively on any given night.

Friday, however, the Mohawks turned in two of the most consistent and complete games they've played all season, sweeping a doubleheader from the Saratoga Phillies, 3-2 in the first game and 4-1 in the second.

In both games combined the Mohawks collected 13 hits and played impeccable defense, but it wasn't necessarily the number that was impressive as much as it was their timeliness.

The Mohawks had just three hits in the first game, due to what was a truly dazzling performance by Phillies starter Greg Holle. But immediately after allowing the Phillies to take a two-run lead, centerfielder Tillman Pugh reached Holle for a three-run homer that gave Amsterdam a lead it, and closer Ryan Smith, would not relinquish.

It was Pugh's second homer of the season -- and second at East Side Rec in Saratoga as he hit one last Sunday in the first contest of a doubleheader as well.

"Boy, he and I both said, 'I didn't know it was gone,'" said Mohawks manager Keith Griffin. "I swear I didn't think it was going and all of a sudden it was just out of here. The wind was kind of against it and I told him afterwards and he said 'Coach I didn't think I hit it either.'

"I said 'Wow, that ball was just out of here.' And what a big hit it was because [Holle] was absolutely outstanding. He was absolutely the best guy we've seen."

Holle, who was making his first start with Saratoga after coming over from the Cape Cod League, allowed just one hit through the game's first five innings while picking up five strikeouts. But two errors allowed catcher Matt Colantonio and shortstop Tony Patane to reach base with two outs in the sixth before Pugh's big swing sealed the deal.

"Last week I had a little incentive," Pugh, who is not normally a power hitter, said of his first homer of the season. "My parents were here and it was their anniversary so my mom called me...and said 'I have a feeling you're going to hit a home run today and that's pretty much what I did.' I don't know, I guess a little bit of that is left over today, it felt good though."

Pugh's shot saved the Mohawks from squandering an otherwise outstanding pitching performance from starter Barry Keiffer. Keiffer, who tossed five innings, allowed two runs off seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts, tired in the fifth when the Phillies reached him for two runs. But he was able to get out of it and turn the ball over to Smith who still has yet to allow a run this season.

"The thing about Barry is he knows how to pitch so well," Griffin said. "He's really a good pitcher, from a coach's standpoint, watching how well he mixes up pitches and keeps hitters off strikes. He wont have a lot of strikeouts, he's going to share the ball with his defense, he did a great job."

In the second game it was more of the same for the Mohawks, who seemed to benefit from the first game's seven-inning warm-up, as they jumped on Phillies starter Marc Zecchnio early. Plating a run in each of the first and second innings, Amsterdam added two more in the sixth to seal the sweep while starter Eric Pettepher did the rest by keeping Saratoga at bay.

Pettepher was able to keep his composure after a few calls didn't go his way and buckle down to allow just one run in the first inning.

"Pettepher's best outing," Griffin said. "He was really good...He's a high-strung guy and you kind of need some success early, get in a rhythm but he was really good tonight, really good."

The Mohawks got RBIs in game two from Austin Sheffield, Joe Sclafani, Derek Marshall and Pugh in the second game but were quite obviously more consistent at the plate, spreading their hits across the innings.

Defensively the Mohawks induced a total of 20 grounds outs and they had just one error on the day when a hard grounder to third ate up third baseman Dan Gamache. It was a welcome scene, given the team's early-season defensive struggles.

"We have played a lot better defensively," Griffin said. "Early on, we really struggled defensively but this is a players game and they've turned themselves around and really played well."

The Mohawks left Saratoga Friday night with a 12-9 record, three games above .500 since they swept the first three games of the season and firmly entrenched in second place in the division. If they intend to keep themselves there, or chase down league-leader Glens Falls, they'll need more performances like Friday night.

"We started off really hot and I think teams figured out how to pitch against us," Pugh said. "We're trying to figure out the match-ups they have against us and I think we're doing a good job. The coaches are giving us good advice in different circumstances and situations so we're just putting that all together. Getting two wins today is huge."



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