Helal baffled Cookies & Cream hitters in a complete game win in his first appearance of 2014
Guthrie pitched great against Eastbound & Dahn in week 5, but Helal, in his first start of 2014, pitched even better and delivered the game-winning hit as Eastbound & Dahn topped Cookies & Cream 2-1.
Guthrie, who has had a sub-par season on the mound by his standards, retired the side in order in the top of the first. Helal matched him in the bottom half of the inning, sending down Dinger and Blose in order.
Hartley led off the top of the second with a double, and the next hitter, Helal, crushed a two-run bomb to left-center, putting Eastbound & Dahn ahead 2-0. Guthrie then retired Steve and fanned Christian to end the inning.
Helal provided his own run support as his two-run homer was all Eastbound & Dahn would need in a 2-1 win
Down 2-0, Cookies & Cream would cut the deficit in the bottom of the second when Joey led off the inning with a solo homer, making the score 2-1. Vassallo followed with a double, but Cookies couldn’t tie the game, as Helal retired Guthrie and Dinger to strand the runner.
Joey’s solo homer was the only offense Cookies & Cream could generate against Eastbound & Dahn
Guthrie cruised through the top of the third, but Helal gave himself all the run-support he would need with his two-run homer. Blose led off the bottom of the third with a single, but Helal stranded him, maintaining the 2-1 lead.
Steve led off the top of the fourth with a single, and after Christian flew out for the first out of the inning, Hartley doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out. Helal had a chance to blow open the game, but Guthrie got him to fly out to the mound, stranding both runners and ending the inning.
Helal continued to baffle Cookies hitters in the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order.
Steve led off the top of the fifth with a double, but Eastbound couldn’t plate him, as Christian and Hartley were retired to end the inning.
Helal retired Blose to start the bottom of the fifth. Joey would single with one out, putting the tying runner on first, but Helal cracked down, retiring Vassallo to strand the runner and the score remained 2-1.
Guthrie retired Helal to start the top of the sixth, and then fanned Steve for his second K of the game. Down 2-1, Cookies & Cream would need a run to tie the game. But Helal continued to dominate, retiring Guthrie and Dinger to end the game, giving Eastbound & Dahn the 2-1 win.
Guthrie had his best outing of the year on the mound but didn’t get enough run support for a win
The win moved Eastbound & Dahn to 4-6 on the season, one game shy of .500 and two games out of second place. The loss dropped Cookies & Cream to 6-4.
W: Helal (1-0)
L: Guthrie (0-3)
Game Notes:
– Helal pitched the complete game win for Eastbound & Dahn, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits in 6 innings.
– Guthrie took the loss, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 2 in 6 innings pitched.
– Helal’s two-run homer provided the only runs for Eastbound, while Steve and Hartley also collected two hits.
– Joey’s solo homer was Cookies & Cream’s only run production in the game.
Leave a Reply