Ricky Brooks, Errors, And A Tale Of Two Double Plays.

In the top of the first inning at TD Bank Park, 'Sharks starter Ricky Brooks had the bases full of Patriots with only one out.

If you've followed the Riversharks at all this year, you've heard this song before: starting pitcher gets into early trouble, gets tagged for a bunch of runs, and the 'Sharks try to play catch up for the rest of the game. Today's matinee in Somerset looked like more of the same. But...

Brooks got third baseman Jeff Nettles to ground to second. Patty Matera scooped up the ball and flipped it to shortstop Jake Eigsti. Eigsti fired a strike over to first baseman Brian Burgamy, and suddenly the 'Sharks were out of the inning, without giving up a run. No one was more excited about this than Brooks, who slapped his glove and let out an exultant yell on his way back to the dugout.

That one play seemed to set the tone for the entire game. The 'Sharks batted around in the second inning, scoring four runs in the process thanks to a combination of walks, errors by the Patriots infield, and a 2 run double for outfielder Drew Macias.

Brooks retired the next six batters he faced. In the top of the third, Paddy Matera hit what looked like a sure double play ball to Pats second baseman Freddie Bynum. But Bynum couldn't come up with it, and what at first looked like two outs turned into another 'Sharks run as Macias scored from third on the play.

Brooks never let Somerset get into scoring position. In his five innings of work, no Patriot made it to second base. The only extra-base hit the Pats could muster was surrendered by reliever Zach Hammes in the seventh.

The 'Sharks tacked on one more in the sixth when Lloyd Turner singled and scored Chris Walker to make it 6-0.

The Patriots spoiled the shutout in the bottom of the seventh when Rex Rundgren singled in Aaron Mathews. Rundren's groudout RBI in the ninth made it 6-2, but that was as close as the Pats would get. John Lujan struck out Jonny Tucker to end the game and give the 'Sharks the victory.

Billy Rice's Bad Haircut Made Him Go 3 For 5 With A Triple And 3 Runs Scored.

Just sayin', Bill. Looks good to me.

I Don't Know How To Put This, But Brian Burgamy Is (Still) Kind Of A Big Deal. People Know Him.

The Camden Riversharks weren't having the greatest night.

Starter Humberto Sanchez was yanked after just an inning and two-thirds of work. The 'Sharks scored first, when a Lloyd Turner double scored Billy Rice to make it 1-0. But the 'Stormers took advantage of Sanchez' early control issues when right fielder Fehlandt Lentini crushed a three run homer to right to take a 3-1 lead.

Out of the bullpen, Kevin Reese pitched remarkably well, scattering four hits over five and one-third innings, striking out one, and more importantly keeping the 'Stormers from pulling too far ahead (see: last night's game).

Meanwhile, Camden slowly crept back into it. Scoring once in the fifth when Brian Burgamy singled in Rice to make it 3-2, and once more in the seventh when an error by "Stormers first baseman Tommy Everidge again allowed Rice to score, the game was knotted up at three going into the top of the ninth.

Then 'Stormers left fielder Blake Gailen absolutely murdered a fastball from John Lujan over the wall in left center (it actually hit the Wawa sign with an extremely loud, echoing THUD). Lancaster led 4-3, and all looked bleak for the Mudville Nine.

But the 'Sharks had apparently saved their best for last. In the ninth, Lloyd Turner led off with a single. Felix Pie seemed destined to hit into a double play but "Stormers shortstop Jesus Merchan, who had such an amazing game last night, couldn't field the ball cleanly. Lancaster wound up only getting Turner, Pie was safe on a fielder's choice.

Pie came up limping after his run to first, and after getting checked out by trainers and coaches, walked off the field under his own power, seemingly alright.

Patty Matera pinch runs for Pie, with Brian Burgamy due up. It's at this point that I yelled: "Hey Brian!! You're going to have to hit it to the f#cking moon if you want Matera to score from first!!"

He must've heard me.

Burgamy took 'Stormers reliever Jeff Bennett's 1-0 fastball deep to straight away center.

Home run. Ballgame. 'Sharks win in walk-off, wild fashion 5-3.