On a four-game losing streak, the Ironmen would take a win any way it came.
And with the bases loaded in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, a walk from J.T. Feldkamp gave the Ironmen a 2-1 victory over the West Virginia Miners.
“I just wanted to put something in the air and not ground into a double play,” Feldkamp said. “I didn’t feel any pressure to put it in play, though. I was willing to take the walk.”
The first run came in an equally unexpected way.
Evan Melendez, after walking with two outs, got to third base on a wide pickoff throw by Miners’ starter Chris Marlowe.
He scored moments later on a wild pitch to even the score at one.
“It kind of works the heart a little but, but we’ll take the win any way it comes,” manager Eric Cormell said. “It was a little anticlimactic at the end with a walk instead of a hit, but in the end it doesn’t matter.”
Mistakes on the base paths kept potential runs off the scoreboard early on for the Ironmen.
Melendez singled to lead off the first, he reached third with no outs on another errant pickoff throw.
The Ironmen couldn’t drive Melendez in, as he was thrown out trying to advance home on a grounder to third by Tony Brunetti.
Austin Ingraham was also thrown out at home after Mike Grieco hit a ball back to the mound.
“We were definitely being aggressive early in the game,” Cormell said. “We were struggling getting some hits, so we were just trying to make something happen.”
A third base running mistake resulted in an out when Danny Hagen failed to touch second base after a double by Ingraham in the sixth inning.
“I saw the play, and it looked like (Hagen) made the right play,” Cormell said. “To be honest, I don’t think it was the right call, but it’s human error. The umpires are entitled to that.”
Chris Hall got the start for the Ironmen and went five innings. He allowed one run on four hits, walked one and struck out six.
His only major mistake came in the second inning. West Virginia got its first run on a double by catcher Chris Kay.
Earlier in the inning, designated hitter Jeremy Robinson reached second on an odd play.
When Hall struck out first baseman Blake Roberts, most of the Ironmen infield headed toward the dugout. Realizing there were only two outs, Robinson sprinted to an uncovered second base.
Marlowe, who was drafted in the 21st round by the Blue Jays in this year’s draft, threw an efficient seven innings. The right-hander gave up one run on just two hits, walked four and struck out eight.
Ironmen reliver Phil Brua pitched two scorless innings to pick up the win.
“We seem to be a streaky team, winning three in a row then losing some,” Cormell said. “We’re starting to pick it up, so hopefully we’ll do out there tomorrow and do it again.”
The Ironmen and Miners will play again at The Pipe Yard tonight at 7:05 p.m.