Reading Bulldogs

 By Greg Bidgood   Daily Times Chronicle 

The Reading Bulldogs saw their two game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night when they were defeated 4-2 by the Wakefield Merchants at Walsh Field.Things got off to a good start for the Bulldogs as they scored twice in the top of the first inning. Bill Cataldo led off the game with a triple and then came around to score on a Mike Taylor RBI single. Taylor would then come around to score on a wild pitch putting Reading up 2-0 after just a half an inning. That would be it though for the Bulldog offense as Wakefield pitcher Darren Bisso got into a grove and did not surrender a run the rest of the way.Bulldog pitcher Aaron Zaleznik also pitched well, except for the third inning when he struggled with his control and the Merchants scored four times giving them a 4-2 lead, which they would hold onto. The loss dropped Reading to 5-7-1 on the year. The Bulldogs will try to get back in the win column on Friday when they travel to Arlington to face the Trojans.  

Reading (2) – Cataldo 3-1, Conti 4-0, Manzi 3-1, Taylor 3-1, Talis 3-2, Ficher 2-0, Gagnon 2-2, Halsey 3-0, Zajac 2-0, Kelley 1-0.  Totals 26-7. 

Wakefield (4) – Townsend 4-2, Searles 2-1, Kneeland 3-1, Napoli 3-1, M. Sorrentino 3-1, Orlowitz 2-0, Papa 2-1, D. Sorrentino 3-0. Totals 23-7. 

Reading         200 000 0 – 2
Wakefield      004 000 x – 4 

Doubles: Gagnon, Townsend, Kneeland.
Triples: Cataldo.

WP – Bisso. LP – Zaleznik.

By Greg Bidgood    Daily Times Chronicle

The Reading Bulldogs snapped their three game losing streak on Sunday afternoon when they knocked off the Arlington Trojans 4-2 at Morton Field.

Nick Kelley was the story of the game as he pitched six innings scattering four hits and allowing just two runs, to improve his record on the year to 3-0.

Trailing 1-0, Reading scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to take its first lead of the ballgame. Derek Conti got things started with a double, and then a Trevor Manzi single put men on first and third. Chris Carmain would single in Conti and then Manzi came around to score on a wild pitch.

After Arlington tied it back up in the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs took the lead for good in the home half of the frame. Bill Cataldo would score the winning run on a Carmain groundout, and then Reading tacked on an insurance run when Trojan pitcher Pat Doherty walked in a run.

Aaron Zaleznik pitch a perfect seventh inning to pick up the save. The Bulldogs are now 4-6-1 on the year and will be in action next on Tuesday when they host the Mooney Dental Tanners.

Arlington (2) – Freidman 3-1, Mansfield 3-1, Cunningham 3-0, Gustin 2-0, Griffin 2-0, Connor 3-0, Clasper 3-1, Hart 2-0, McCauley 2-1. Totals 21-4.

READING (4) – Cataldo 2-1, Conti 2-1, Manzi 2-1, Carmain 3-1, Fischer 2-1, Talis 2-1, Zajac 3-0, Flutie 2-0, Castoldi 1-0, Halsey 2-0, Buitkus 0-0. Totals 21-6.

Arlington             001 001 0 – 2  

READING             000 202 x – 4  

Doubles: Conti

WP – Kelley. LP – Doherty.

By JON HINES  Daily Times Chronicle

READING – For the second time in as many games against one another, the Reading Bulldogs and Mooney Dental Tanners went into the seventh inning tied.

Unlike last week, however, it was Reading that got the run it needed in the last frame as the Bulldogs defeated the Tanners, 1-0, Tuesday night at Morton Field.

Lefty Scott Tully got a chance to face the same team in his second Intercity League start, and evened his record by giving up only two hits to record a shutout. He also struck out four and walked two.

“Tully kept us in the game. He didn’t have his best fastball but his off-speed stuff was on point,” said Reading manager Matt Morrison of the RMHS senior. “He’s getting a lot of ground balls, the defense was making plays for him and before you know it, it’s a bunch of zeroes on the board. He’s not going to blow that fastball by people anyway, against some grown men who have a little more idea of what they’re doing up there.”

Brett Manley may have thrown his best game as a Tanner, giving up six hits and striking out three. The right-hander did walk eight but managed to squeak out of every jam he got into, in just about every inning, except the last one.

“He still struggled a little; his control was off, but he was getting the bounces and double plays,” said Mooney manager Bob DeNapoli. “It’s tough for the poor kid; he was up to about 115 pitches, but you have to let him win it or lose it. He threw a pretty good game.”

A pair of walks had Manley in a jam in the second inning, but he escaped by getting Reading right fielder Kevin O’Leary to fly out to center. In the third inning, two more walks had Bulldog runners on first and second, but left fielder Trevor Manzi lined out to first baseman Kevin McKenzie, who doubled up Reading third baseman Chris Carmain at first base.

Two more walks and a Tanners error had the bases loaded for Reading in the bottom of the fourth inning, but O’Leary’s grounder to third allowed Mooney’s Luis Valdez to come home with the throw to get first baseman Andrew Dewing with the second out. Manley then got second baseman Bill Cataldo to ground out to second.

“It’s almost like two hits doesn’t cut it in this league. You get back-to-back singles and it’s still nothing to show for it,” said Morrison. “You’ve almost got to put three in a row together.”

A 6-4-3 double play got Mooney Dental out of the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Tanners were not able to make it to the eighth.

Carmain delivered the only extra-base hit of the game to lead off the bottom of the seventh, a ground-rule double that bounced over the right-field fence.

That put a runner in scoring position with no one out for Manzi, who put down a sacrifice bunt. Mooney tried to get Carmain at third base, but the Bulldogs’ third baseman was safe on a close play. Shortstop Nick Conti then concluded the evening by launching a long single to the left-field wall.

“We were just lucky to get some hits. (Manley) left a couple up, but that game easily could have went either way,” said Morrison. “At this time in the year, at least we’re getting some W’s because early on we were losing these 1-0, close ones.”

In the past, pitching has been Mooney’s downfall, but lately their arms have become the Tanners’ strength. Now they are hoping to add more offense.

“It’d be nice to see the bats wake up because we have so many one-run games,” said DeNapoli. “They’re just hitting them at people.”

As for Tully, he has so far looked confident as he takes his shot at a higher level of baseball.

“He’s maturing; you can see him taking a step in the right direction. It’s a step up for him from the high school season,” said Morrison. “He’s not backing down and that’s what we’re looking for out of a young kid like that. He likes the challenge.”

Reading is now 5-6-1 for the summer as it continues to look for more consistency.

“We have a decent game, then a rough one, but I’d rather be playing good baseball at the end of the year than right now,” said Morrison. “We’ll be okay. We’re giving everyone a chance to play early on.”

MOONEY (0) – McDonald 2-0, Lentini 3-0, Valdez 3-0, DeNapoli 2-0, McKenzie 3-1, Burnham 2-1, Collins 1-0, Porter 0-0, McCarthy 2-0, Bi Manley 1-0, DeLuca 1-0, Br. Manley 0-0, Ruxin 1-0. Totals 21-2.

READING (1) – Cataldo 3-1, Carmain 3-2, Manzi 2-0, Conti 4-2, Dewing 1-0, Taylor 1-0, Zajac 2-0, Buitkus 1-1, O’Leary 2-0, Talis 0-0, Castoldi 0-0, Tully 0-0, Halsey 0-0. Totals 19-6.

Double: Carmain.

WP – Tully (1-1); LP – Br. Manley  (1-2).

By GREG BIDGOOD Daily Times Chronicle

 WATERTOWN – The Reading Bulldogs found themselves in a pitchers duel early on in Wednesday night’s game against the Watertown Reds at Victory Field.That changed in the bottom of the fifth inning when the wheels fell off for Reading, as Watertown scored five runs turning a tight 1-1 game into a comfortable 6-1 Watertown victory.

“That seems to be our M.O. so far this year,” said Reading coach Matt Morrison. “In a matter of an inning we just give the game away pretty quickly.”

The Bulldogs had a tough go of it against Watertown pitcher Brian Casey. Casey went the distance picking up the win scattering eight hits while walking none and striking out nine hitters.“It’s tough to come back in this type of league,” said Morrison. “When they got a stud pitcher going against you and they are making plays behind him, it’s really tough if you fall behind.”

Reading found itself in an early 1-0 hole when the Reds scored a run in their first turn at bat. With one out Matt McEvoy and Steve Busby hit back to back singles putting runners on first and second. Sean Callahan then doubled scoring McAnoi and putting two men in scoring position.Bulldog starter Sean Boyle did a great job to limit the damage though as he got a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the jam.

After the rocky start Boyle settled in and pitched well over the next three innings before Watertown got to him in the fifth.Reading got on the board in the top of the third, scoring its lone run. After Alex Fischer and Bill Cataldo singled, Nick Conti punched a ball through the right side of the infield scoring Fischer. Casey would bear down though for Watertown and retire the next two hitters to strand two runners on base.

Watertown answered in a big way in the home half of the fifth, scoring five times to put the game out of reach. With one out and a runner on first base, Reading elected to intentionally walk McEvoy. Busby made them pay as he doubled to centerfield scoring both men and putting the Reds back on top. Callahan then singled in Busby making it 4-1. Boyle retired the next hitter before a Steve Panza single chased him from the game.

The Bulldogs brought on Aaron Zaleznik on in relief and he was greeted with an error and a single to make it 6-1 before getting a strikeout to get out of the inning.Reading went quietly in the sixth and seventh inning, the only threat coming when pinch hitter Zak Talis doubled with two outs in the seventh but he was left stranded there as Watertown earned two points with the 6-1 win.T

he loss drops the Bulldogs to 3-5-1 on the year and they will be in action next on Sunday when they host the Arlington Trojans at Morton Field.  

READING (1) – Cataldo 4-1, Conti 3-1, Manzi 3-0, Carmain 3-0, Taylor 3-3, Zajac 3-0, Buitkus 2-0, Dewing 1-0, Halsey 3-0, Fischer 2-2, Talis 1-1. Totals 28-8

Watertown (6) – Begley 3-0, McEvoy 3-1, Busby 3-2, Callahan 3-2, Bre. Casey 3-1, Panza 2-1, DuPay 2-0, Chaisson 1-0, Manning 3-1, Thebado 2-0. Totals 25-8. 

READING       001 000 0 – 1
Watertown       100 050 x – 6

Doubles: Talis, Busby, Callahan.

WP – Bri. Casey. LP – Boyle