D’backs take 1-0 lead in series

STUARTS DRAFT- The Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks survived a late rally from the Bridgewater and held on to win 6-5 in the first game of the opening round of the Rockingham County Baseball League playoffs.

With the first round being a best-of-three scenario, Diamondbacks manager Tinker Kiser knew winning the first game would be crucial.

“You can get yourself into a whole lot of trouble if you drop the first game. Then you got to play catch up the rest of the series,” said Kiser. “You can throw the records out the window in the playoffs. Everyone brings their best.”

Draft had a chance to score first in the first inning when they loaded the bases, but Wes Harlow grounded out to the third baseman for to end the attack.

The Reds took the early lead on a solo-home run from Sean Zirkle, but Wes Dimitt answered Zirkle’s homer with one of his own over the centerfield fence to tie the game at one.

The next batter, Milo Johnson, was hit by a pitch and Lance Bragg followed with a single. With two outs Jason Butterworth ripped a two-RBI double off the right field fence to add to the Diamondbacks lead.

The Diamondbacks left the bases loaded again in the fourth inning, unable to put the Reds to rest. Draft added another run in the fourth when Ben Wise singled home Brandon Zollman.

Draft rallied in the sixth for three runs on a two RBI single by Harlow that scored Wise and Ryan Cooper. Drew Dobbins also had a sacrifice fly that scored Zollman in the inning.

The Reds got one run back in the top of the seventh when Zirkle went deep for his second homerun of the game to cut the lead to 6-2.

With the four-run lead, Diamondbacks starter Jake Rule was having his way with the Reds lineup. Rule struck out 13 hitters and gave up three hits and two earned runs in his seven innings of work.

“Jake [Rule] pitched a heck of a ballgame. I figured he was going to be kind of rusty since it had been a while since he had pitched, but he did a great job for us tonight,” Kiser said.

After Rule left the game reliever Randall Stevens was called upon to pitch the eighth and ninth innings for the Diamondbacks.

Stevens got himself into some trouble in the eighth giving up a two-run home run to Adam Rhodes and a solo shot to Tanner Croy to cut the lead to 6-5, but Stevens pitched a perfect ninth to give the Diamondbacks the win.

The Diamondbacks will go for the sweep of the Reds tonight in Bridgewater at 7:30pm