Published: March 14, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
St. John's (6-8) took a lead in the fourth inning and held off a
late Albany (2-8) rally to capture its sixth win in seven tries,
5-4, in its 2007 home opener on Wednesday afternoon. Junior
left-hander
George Brown held the Great Danes scoreless over his five
innings of work to improve to 1-0 on the season and 8-0 in his St.
John's career, while
Brendan Monaghan went 2-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and a
run to ignite the Red Storm offense.
Playing for the first time at newly renamed Jack Kaiser Stadium,
the Red Storm put up four runs in the fourth and never trailed.
Brown kept Albany in check, allowing three hits and striking out
three over five shutout innings, and
Colin Lynch tore through the eighth and ninth innings to record
his third save in five games.
Monaghan,
Gino Matias and
Gil Zayas all had two hits for the Red Storm, which
manufactured runs with two sacrifice hits and two stolen bases.
Zayas extended his hitting streak to 10 games, over which he has
hit .395 (17-for-43) with four doubles and 10 runs scored. Matias
established a new season-high with his two hits and scored a run
for the third straight game.
Both teams' starting pitchers worked through three scoreless
innings to start, limiting the opposing offenses to just two hits
apiece.
In the Red Storm fourth, Albany elected to go to its bullpen
with right-hander Marco Rivera, and St. John's took advantage with
a four-hit, four-run frame to take its first lead. Monaghan got the
Red Storm on the board with a two-run single that scored
Anthony Smith and Zayas and then scored on a fielding error by
second baseman Al Barbato.
Chris Anninos walked and scored on a bunt single by
Brian Kemp to cap the scoring and give St. John's a 4-0
lead.
Albany plated three in the top of the sixth to get within a run
at 4-3. Designated Chris Wood hit a two-run double to center field,
and Steve Wyland hit an RBI single as the Great Danes recorded four
hits in the inning.
The Red Storm plated another run in the seventh on a throwing
error by first baseman Mike Konstanty, and Albany pushed a run
across and loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth.
Lynch came on in relief of James Lally, struck out one and induced
a shallow pop out to end the threat and protect a 5-4 lead.
Lynch finished the job with a scoreless ninth, sealing the Red
Storm's sixth win in its last seven tries and striking out two in
the inning.
The Red Storm continues a five-game, non-conference home stand
this weekend, when it hosts Quinnipiac at Jack Kaiser Stadium at 1
p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.