By SHLOMO SPRUNGjp.services1(photo credit: )
The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox swept a double header from the Netanya Tigers on Tuesday at Gezer in extremely different ways.
The Blue Sox scored 13 runs in the first inning in game one to cruise to a 17-3 laugher, and Eric Holtz hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh in the second game to win 8-7 it in dramatic fashion.
Jason Rees and Gregg Reymundo each went deep twice in the nightcap.
The 13-run first inning was highlighted by a three-run Johnny Lopez home run, and Netanya pitching walked eight batters and hit another three in the forgetful frame.
Tigers starter Mike Kerfeld (0-2) only got one out in the first inning while allowing 10 earned runs. Gregg Reymundo drove in three runs in the game one win, and Jason Rees homered and drove in two runs.
Netanya outfielder Josh Doane drove in two runs in the loss. Blue Sox starter Jason Benson (3-0) allowed two runs in five innings to earn the win.
In the second game it was a back and forth battle throughout. The Tigers scored three runs in the first inning on RBI singles by Ryan Forsythe and Hector de los Santos and an error. Beit Shemesh came right back in the bottom half on a two run homer from Reymundo and a solo jack from Rees to tie the score. Netanya took the lead in the fourth inning on an error, only to have the game tied in the bottom half of the inning on Reymundo's second homer of the contest, a solo shot.
Netanya scored two runs in the fifth inning only to allow three runs in the bottom half to give the Blue Sox a 7-6 lead after five. Ray Rodriguez tied the score in the sixth inning to make it a 7-7 game, but allowed the game winning solo home run to Holtz, who also drove in three runs and managed the team to boot. Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss for Netanya (5-10), and Scott Jarmacowicz (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to record the win for the Blue Sox (14-4).
Miracle 3, Pioneers 2
It took a homerun at Yarkon Field for the Modi'in Miracle to defeat the Petach Pioneers 3-2. After tying the game with his ninth homerun of the season in the top of the seventh inning, Dominican Eladio Rodriguez came up big again in the derby.
After both teams sent up three batters each and ended up tied at 2-2, it took a final round for a winner to be named. After hitting all of Modi'in's homeruns in the first three rounds, Rodriguez crushed five balls over the wall in the final round to give the Miracle the 7-2 derby win and the overall victory.
The Pioneers are protesting the game because their second baseman, Willis Bumphus, was not allowed to enter the homerun derby as a hitter because he was being used as a pitcher. The umpires ruled that a homerun derby pitcher is not permitted to bat as well. While manager Ken Holzman does not agree, his team falls 10.5 games out of first place until Commissioner Daniel Kurtzer rules otherwise.
Lightning 12, Express 2
It was a wild game in Tel Aviv as the Ra'anana Express gave up ten runs in the third inning to eventually lose to the Tel Aviv Lighting 12-2. The win means manager Steve Hertz's clubs remains two games behind the first-place Blue Sox.
Lightning designated hitter Matt Brill continued his impressive season with a 3-for-4 night and three RBI to give him a .410 average.
Tel Aviv's Dominican first baseman Stuart Brito also went 3-for-4 while knocking in two runs.
The loss drops the Express eight games behind the Blue Sox.
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