In the bottom of the first inning Sean Slaughter and Gregg Raymundo hit back-to -back home runs to take a 2-0 lead.
By SHLOMO SPRUNGbaseball 298.88(photo credit: Jay L. Abramoff)
The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox scored five runs in the first inning, easily defeating the Petah Tikva Pioneers 14-4 at Gezer on Thursday.
In the bottom of the first inning Sean Slaughter and Gregg Raymundo hit back-to -back home runs to take a 2-0 lead, and Johnny Lopez connected on his 11th homer of the season two batters later.
Ben Pincus had an RBI groundout and the fifth run of the frame crossed home plate on an error.
Petah Tikva got a run back in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk.
But the Blue Sox responded with three runs on Sean Slaughter's second home run of the game, a two-run shot, and a Jake Ayers sacrifice fly made it 8-1.
Pioneers starter Scott Cantor (0-1) allowed 10 runs in 21â„3 innings to take the loss. Beit Shemesh's own Jeff Mor (1-0) walked nine batters over five innings, and amazingly only allowed two runs in the contest. Jason Rees had three hits with a homer and four RBIs.
Lopez even went in a threw two innings in the game, allowing two runs and giving the Blue Sox pitching staff a much needed rest. Beit Shemesh (16-4) has won five straight games.
Lightning 8, Miracle 3
The Tel Aviv Lightning lost both games of a doubleheader on Wednesday to Modi'in, but came back Thursday to beat the Miracle 8-3.
Modi'in was in control of most of the game and up 3-2 through 51â„2 innings until the Tel Aviv offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth.
Centerfielder Bryan Langbord of Atlanta Georgia tied the game up with a solo homerun on a night in which he went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
The Lighting continued to pile on five more runs in the inning including an RBI-single from third baseman Nate Fish, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI to raise his average to .386 on the season.
The Tel Aviv win snaps Modi'in's eight-game winning streak and drops the Miracle 21â„2 games out of first place.
Express 6, Tigers 2
The Ra'anana Express beat the Netanya Tigers for the second straight game, winning 6-2 on Thursday to hold onto fourth place.
Ra'anana pitcher Nathan Mittag overcame five Express errors to throw a complete game and allow just two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
En route to his first win, Mittag was supported offensively by Dominican first baseman Juan Ramirez, who went 1-for-3 with his fifth homer of the season and two RBI. Catcher Jesse Michel also added a solo shot of his own as Ra'anana handed the Tigers their fifth straight loss.
Beit Shemesh will host the Netanya Tigers at noon at Gezer on Friday. Petah Tikva (3-16) has lossed three in a row and will travel to Tel Aviv to play the Lightning at 10 a.m.
Jerusalem Post Sports staff contributed to this report.
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