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Steam Hold Off Another Late Charge Cincinnati broke their two game losing streak in dramatic style by defeating the Grand Lake Mariners Friday evening on a bottom of the eighth inning, two out, go ahead home run by Brandon Besl. Besl’s home run tied teammate Tommy Nurre for the league lead with four homers a piece. Reliever Brian Sand, came in for starter Joey O’Gara and earned the victory, his fourth, tying him with teammate Joey O’Gara and Steven Davis for most on the game, as well as, most in the league. With the victory, the Steam extended their league lead to 5 ½ games over Stark County, and lowered their magic number to three. Cincinnati’s next chance to take another step closer to their first league title will be Sunday evening at Lima, 7:05pm. Cincinnati took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off a lead off double by Adam Eaton, who was moved over to third on a ground out and scored on a base hit by Tommy Nurre. That lead lasted until the third when Grand Lake took a 2-1 lead when Joey O’Gara lost his control after retiring the first two hitters, walked the next three to load the bases and Brooks Hunton double to score two. The Steam answered in the bottom of the third putting a three spot on the board to go ahead 4-2. Grand Lake recorded the first out of the inning then shot themselves in the foot by committing an error allowing Nate Fields to reach. Adam Eaton was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second for Steve Brown who laced a double down the right field line that bounced around allowing Eaton to score all the way from first. Brown advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an rbi fielder’s choice grounder by Brandon Besl. The score remained the same until the top of the seventh when the Mariners tied the game up off an rbi triple by Justin Brauer and a sacrifice fly by Tom Fogerty. Just when it looked as if Cincinnati may have to play their third straight night of extra inning baseball, Brandon Besl hit a two out home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the Steam up 5-4 and Brian Sand finished the Mariners off in the ninth for the victory. Grand Lake 002 000 200 4 6 1 Cincinnati 103 000 01X 5 6 1 WP – Sand (4-0) LP – Paddock (3-4) Hitting Leaders: Mariners – Brauer (1-3, triple, rbi, 2 runs), Fogerty (rbi, run), Hunton (double, 2 rbi) Steam – Eaton (double, two runs), S. Brown (double, 2 rbi), Nurre (rbi), Besl (HR, 2 rbi), Strausborger (2-4) Records: Steam (26-9) Mariners (11-24)
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