IBL: Slaughter single leads Blue Sox past Lightning

Petah Tikva Pioneers win again - 6-5 over the Ra'anana Express; Netanya Tigers smashes Modi'in Miracle 5-1.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox and the Tel Aviv Lightning were tied at one through 6 1⁄2 innings before centerfielder Sean Slaughter hit a bases-loaded single to win the game. Slaughter's heroic walk-off single came after Dominican Juan Feliciano and Australian Adam Crabb battled in a pitcher's duel that eventually saw Feliciano come out on top. Feliciano tossed seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks to improve to 7-1. Beit Shemesh's first run came in the first inning when rightfielder Jason Rees slugged his league-leading 16th homer of the season as the first-place Sox pulled 3 1⁄2 games ahead of the second-place Lightning. After winning one game of a doubleheader on Wednesday, the Petah Tikva Pioneers won for the second day in a row with a 6-5 victory over the Ra'anana Express. Down 5-3 in the top of the sixth, centerfielder Ben Dashefsky of New York knocked in two runs on his second single of the day to tie the game at five runs apiece. Later in the inning third baseman Willis Bumphus, who went 2-for-3, drove in his second RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored the go-ahead run. Express leftfielder Ben Field raised his average to .330 by going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, but it wasn't enough as Ra'anana fell 111⁄2 games out of first. In the night's late game the Netanya Tigers scored four runs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and beat the Modi'in Miracle 5-1. Israeli Shlomo Lipetz picked up his third win with a seven innings of work, giving up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Lipetz's only mistake came in the fourth inning when Dominican Eladio Rodriguez launched his 15th home run over the centerfield wall. But the Netanya offense did enough as all but two starting position players collected a hit and manager Ami Baran's club won for the second consecutive game.