Published: April 01, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
Rutgers scored three runs in the eighth inning to break open a
tight game late and avoid a series sweep with an 8-3 win at Jack
Kaiser Stadium on Sunday. Starting pitcher
George Brown was solid on the mound for the Red Storm, allowing
just two earned runs and striking out a career-high six over seven
innings, but took his first career loss (9-1) as St. John's had a
five-game win streak snapped.
Brown scattered six hits over his seven innings of work and
allowed a total of four runs (two earned). The junior threw 68 of
his 112 pitches for strikes and fanned a career-high six batters in
the loss.
Nick Luisi,
Colin Lynch,
James Lally and
Anthony Smith all saw action in the late innings, as Rutgers
gained separation with three runs in the eighth and one in the
ninth.
Brian Kemp,
Chris Joachim and
Gil Zayas all drove in runs for the Red Storm offense, which
was held to nine hits and three runs in a complete game effort by
Rutgers starter Casey Gaynor.
Brendan Monaghan singled twice, stole a base and scored a run,
and
Ryan Mahoney hit a single and scored a run for the fifth
straight game.
The Scarlet Knights used two hits and a Red Storm error to score
two runs (one earned) in the top of the third inning. Todd Frazier
drew a one-out walk and moved around to third on a fielding error
by shortstop
Jeff Grantham, before scoring a single up the middle by Ryan
Hill. Mike Bionde reached on a fielder's choice and scored from
second base on an RBI single by Tom Edwards.
St. John's answered in the bottom half of the inning, as the
first two hitters of the inning, Mahoney and Monaghan, both reached
on singles and scored. Kemp hit a sacrifice fly to score Mahoney,
and Joachim hit a two-out RBI single to plate Monaghan from second
base.
Rutgers grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the top of
the sixth, but the Red Storm again cut back into the deficit with a
run in the bottom half of the inning.
A three-run eighth stretched the Scarlet Knights' lead to four
runs, 7-3, and run in the top of the ninth pushed the advantage to
8-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. St. John's put two men on
base in the final frame, but Gaynor struck out two in the inning to
finish off his first career complete game.
The Red Storm gets back into BIG EAST play after a shortened
week, playing a doubleheader against Villanova at noon on Thursday
and a Saturday series finale, also at noon. The three-game BIG EAST
series takes place at Jack Kaiser Stadium and is the third of
four straight home conference series.