Bronx News Sports: Sports-Battle-of-the-Bronx

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Battle-of-the-Bronx: Manhattan Wins Battle of the Bronx Jaspers Top Fordham In Home Opener BRONX, NEW YORK, April 4- After opening the season with 24...

Sports-Battle-of-the-Bronx

Manhattan Wins Battle of the Bronx

Jaspers Top Fordham In Home Opener

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 4- After opening the season with 24 straight road games, the Manhattan College baseball team finally felt the comforts of home on Wednesday afternoon. And the Jaspers, who did not lose at Van Cortlandt Park at all in 2012, were not going to let their home winning streak come to an end in their 2013 home opener. Manhattan (11-14) scored three runs in the first before holding on for a 5-4 victory over rival Fordham (11-15) in the “Battle of the Bronx” at Van Cortlandt Park. It was Manhattan’s 20th straight home win.

“It feels good for me, and it feels good for our guys (to be home),” Head Coach Jim Duffy said. “You could see the energy in the guys today. They expect good things to happen here. It’s a new year; we can’t rely on last year. But it was good to get home and get a win that we desperately needed.”

After starter Matt Jordan (Kingston, N.Y.) retired the Rams in order in the top of the first, the Jaspers immediately went to work offensively. Leadoff man Nick Camastro (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) smoked a double down the left field line, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Camastro then came across when nobody covered first on Kyle Murphy’s (Waterbury, Conn.) grounder to second. Murphy went to second on a groundout and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Andrew Gorecki (Smithtown, N.Y.) crushed a long home run to right field that gave Manhattan a 3-0 lead.

Fordham manufactured a run in the fourth before Camastro was at the heart of another Manhattan rally in the bottom half of the inning. He delivered a one-out double to left center and scored on a double by Ramon Ortega (Miami, Fla.).

The Rams threatened again in the top of the sixth. Tim Swatek and Matthew Cianci started the inning with back-to-back singles, and Swatek scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan McNally, pulling Fordham within 4-2. The Rams put the tying run on base when Mike Mauri was hit by a pitch, but reliever Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, N.Y.) got Joseph Runco to foul out to end the inning. Manhattan got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, though, as Murphy smoked a two-out double and scored on a single by Brendan Slattery (Danbury, Conn.).

With Manhattan now leading 5-2, Fordham continued to chip away. Joseph DeVito belted a solo home run in the seventh, and the Rams put the tying run on base after Charles Galiano and Mike Mauri both singled in the eighth, prompting Duffy to call on closer Jacob Marchus (Miami, Fla.). Marcus gave up a flare that was just out of Yoandry Galan’s (Miami, Fla.) reach and dropped for an RBI single. However, Camastro fired a dart to third base to throw out Mauri, who was trying to advance from first, and end the inning.In the top of the ninth, the Rams put runners on first and second with one out before Marchus struck out Swatek and retired Cianci on a fly ball to left, preserving the 5-4 victory and snapping the Jaspers’ four-game losing streak.

As a team, Manhattan collected seven hits in the game. Camastro went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, while Murphy was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Gorecki collected two RBIs on his second homer of the season. Jordan (2-4) earned the win after yielding two runs and six hits while striking out three and walking one in 5.2 innings. John Soldinger (Bay Shore, N.Y.) pitched one inning, giving up one run on one hit and striking out one. Marchus allowed three hits and struck out one in 1.1 innings to earn his program-record 14th career save.

Fordham outhit Manhattan 12-7, with four different Rams each collecting two hits. Runco went 2- for-4 with two RBIs, while Charles Galiano and DeVito were both 2-for-4 with a run scored. Cianci had a 2-for-5 day at the plate and also scored a run. Cody Johnson (2-1) got the start for the Rams and took the loss. He surrendered three runs and three hits, struck out one and walked one in two innings of work. J.C. Porter tossed three innings and was charged with one run on two hits while striking out two and walking one. Rich Anastasi, Jimmy Murphy and Brett Kennedy each hurled one inning of relief.

“Every time we come out here with Fordham, we always want to compete,” Gorecki said. “They don’t make it easy on us, but it feels good to come out and get a win.”

“The timing was right,” Duffy said. “It’s a rivalry. It’s the cross-town thing, so the win is important to us and our school. And it was the home opener. I think it was a good day. It lined up for us to win.”

The Jaspers (3-3 MAAC) play their first home Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series this weekend. Marist (14-9, 5-1 MAAC) visits Van Cortlandt Park for a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, and the series will conclude with a single game at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Yankees

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Yankees: Yankees Woes Continue Red Sox Win, 7-4 Hiroki Kuroda Injured By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 4- Yankees fans who braved the co...

Sports-Yankees

Yankees Woes Continue
Red Sox Win, 7-4
Hiroki Kuroda Injured

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 4- Yankees fans who braved the cold and windy weather conditions on Wednesday night were again subjected to disappointment by what they witnessed on the field.

As in Game One on Monday, the Red Sox jumped off to an early advantage. Three singles in the top of the first inning led to the first run of the contest. Catcher Jarrod Saltamacchia knocked in the run for Boston.

The Red Sox loaded the bases in the second with a single, a walk and a hit batsman. The lead runner, rookie Jackie Bradley, Jr., crossed the plate after Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch.

The Yankees troubles in inning #2 began with the first batter. Yankee starter Hiroki Kuroda tried to grab a sharply hit ball up-the-middle by Shane Victorino. Kuroda remained in the game but could no longer control his pitches and was removed after facing four more batters after Victorino, having suffered a contusion of his right middle finger. Further tests were ordered to determine the extent of the injury.

Cody Eppley who replaced Kuroda in the second, gave up four singles and four runs in the third, which ensured the positive outcome of the game for Boston. Singles by Victorino, Bradley, Jr., Jose Iglesias, and Jacoby Ellsbury accounted for the four runs. The hit by Bradley was his first in the majors.

The Yankees, as on opening day, scored their first run in the fourth. Designated hitter Travis Hafner blasted his first home run as a Yankee.

In the sixth, the Red Sox increased their lead to six, 7-1, as an infield single by Mike Napoli knocked in their seventh run.

Red Sox starter Clay Buccholz earned the win by surrendering only one run and six hits in seven innings.

The Yankees were not without bright spots in their second game of the season. Vernon Wells hit successfully three times in the contest, including a three-run homer off former Yankee Alfredo Aceeves in the eighth. After the contest, Wells commented about playing with the Yankees, “I’ve always enjoyed playing here. It’s like home. My goal since the off-season is just to get better, so I can be capable of helping this team.”

Another pleasant surprise for Yankees fans was the performance of reliever Adam Warren. The 25 year-old right hander pitched 5.1 innings, thus, relieving pressure on his bullpen mates. The University of North Carolina grad, who made his Yankees debut late in the 2012 season, only gave up one run and five hits in his 86 pitch stint.

The finale of the three game series is scheduled to be played on Thursday night. Veteran Andy Pettitte will be on the mound for New York and Ryan Dempster, 0-4 in five previous games against the Yankees, will start for Boston.

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Citi Field-Yankee Stadium

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Citi Field-Yankee Stadium: More optimism at Citi Field than Yankee Stadium By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, April 2- Perhaps when the New York Mets opened th...

Sports-Citi Field-Yankee Stadium

More optimism at Citi Field than Yankee Stadium

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 2- Perhaps when the New York Mets opened the 2013 season at Citi Field Monday afternoon they resembled teams of the past. One could say the 1982-83 teams at Shea Stadium are comparable, significant, because that became the building block to the championship year of 1986.

When the first pitch against the San Diego Padres was thrown the announced sell-out crowd of 41,053 had that optimism, but the Mets are years away from making an impact in the standings, and that was before all-star pitcher Johan Santana went down again with a season ending injury to his shoulder.

Santana has probably thrown his last pitch as a Met, and there are doubts the two-time Cy Young Award winner will resume his career. His highlight in New York was that 134-pitch no-hitter, and first in franchise history last June 1st at Citi Field. And speculation is that outing may have ruined his shoulder.

Regardless, Santana is no longer the ace of what is now a young and promising pitching staff. Jonathon Niese got the Opening Day nod, a task he prepared for weeks ago when manager Terry Collins informed the left hander that the job might be his.

So, as the first pitch was thrown in Flushing, Queens, one was also thrown by CC Sabathia in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. For the first time the two New York baseball teams opened the season at home, same day and time. Unusual as it was, the first time since, 1956 when three baseball teams shared the spotlight in New York, another 49.000 plus saw Sabathia struggle and the Yankees lose their home opener.

However, inter league play and a new schedule for Major League Baseball caused the conflict. There will be more home and home series for the teams on the baseball calendar this year, another one coming later this month. As it has been explained, the Mets would not give in and change their opening date.

This is a Yankees town. The Mets know that, so do the fans. But Monday belonged to the Mets, and for one day they were the winning baseball team in town.

The Mets scored seven runs in three innings, and the effective start by Niese led to an 11-2 win over the Padres. It was the Mets 20th win in their last 22 season openers at home.

“The adrenaline was pumping, I’m not going to lie,” said Niese who went 6.2 innings, on two runs, striking out four in getting his first career opening day win. Niese also helped himself at the plate tying acareer high with two hits. He also had an RBI single in the second inning and scored in a three-run Mets fourth.

It was so reminiscent of the first half Mets of last season. They scored nine runs with two outs, and went 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position.  The clubhouse faces have changed, Collins is a lame duck manager, and a full house certainly helped the adrenaline and the rest of these 2013 New York Mets.

The new captain, David Wright had two stolen bases and drove in a run. This was an opening day win that fueled optimism after that dismal second half of 2012 that led to a fourth straight losing season for the Mets.

“So far, so good,” commented Wright who said he was sure to make the Opening Day roster after sitting out the last weeks of spring training with injuries to his rib cage.

Added Wright, “It was good to bust out offensively and get some breathing room for Jon.”

New York also got contributions from Ruben Tejada, who made his second consecutive home start at shortstop. Tejada doubled to left in the second inning, advanced to third on a bad throw and scored on the first single by Niese. The Padres’ Edinson Volquez once again was ineffective against the Mets and his five losses against New York are tied for the most against any team in his career.

“A good start is important, the spring is over,” said Tejada who struggled in 21 exhibition games, going 5-for-52. Collins approached him towards the latter part of the spring campaign and there was talk of not bringing him back to New York and to get extra work at Triple A, Las Vegas.

And the new faces contributed. Marlon Byrd with two RBI singles and the temporary and new catcher John Buck, in the middle of most of the rallies that saw New York put four more runs on the board in the seventh. The acquisitions of GM Sandy Alderson resemble those Mets teams before the 1986 championship season.

They can quickly become fan favorites, but to do so, as in the past, there has to be consistency. Byrd and Buck had RBI singles in the third inning.

“It definitely helped me settle in a little easier,” said Buck who will eventually sit down when the rookie Travis d’Arnaud arrives, a key player in the deal that saw Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey leave town.

Maybe the biggest impact was the new man in center field, 26-year old Collin Cowgill. The leadoff hitter won the job with a good spring and hit his first career grand slam home run off Brad Bach in the seventh.

“Just a humbling experience today,” he said. “This is a good clubhouse and everyone here can contribute to something nice.” 

Mets fans have heard that in the past, but the unexpected does happen during the long course of a 162-game schedule.

Just ask Collins, who once again said, “It is day one. We have a long way to go. One thing we want to do is establish credibility to our fans.” And for one day, when both teams shared the spotlight, the Mets were off to the good start and the Yankees looked to regroup this week.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Bronx News Sports: Rams Sweep Colonial in Doubleheader

Bronx News Sports: Rams Sweep Colonial in Doubleheader: By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 1 - On Saturday afternoon, the Fordham Rams (20-11, 4-0) swept a softball doubleheader, 8-3,...