The Albany Dutchmen needed a day off Sunday, if only to recover from a disastrous week in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
The Dutchmen (16-21) dropped four of their six games last week, including a 9-4 home loss to Watertown Saturday that left manager Nick Davey frustrated with his team’s effort.
We didn’t play with an energy to win a baseball game today, said Davey.
Things started well for Albany in Saturday’s game as the Dutchmen touched up Watertown starting pitcher Zach Weaver for three runs over the first three innings. But after Watertown (15-23) scored three times in the top of the fourth inning, Albany had a hard time mustering any offense. Weaver picked up the victory in his first game for the Wizards.
`This is the first time I’ve seen him pitch, and I thought he was a bulldog out there,` said Watertown catcher and College of Saint Rose player A.J. Capone. `He spotted [his pitches] well, and he kept us in the ball game.`
Albany earned run leader Tanner Barron looked strong through the first three innings before things fell apart on him in the fourth. He was eventually lifted in the fifth inning after giving up a solo home run to Larry Balkwill (Siena College) and a ground rule double. Barron allowed seven runs, four of them earned, on seven hits.
`Tanner was done [by the fifth inning],` said Davey. `I wanted him to show me something, but he was dead. He had nothing left.`
Albany grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Will Remillard ` a Latham native and LaSalle Institute graduate ` singled in Brandon Trinkwon. Watertown responded with a run in the top of the second inning on Jake McGuiggan’s RBI single before the Dutchmen regained the lead in the bottom of the third with some two-out magic.
Andrew Deeds reached base on a fielding error, moved to second when a pickoff throw by Weaver sailed wide of first base, stole third and scored when Capone’s throw sailed into left field to put Albany ahead 2-1. Then, Guilderland native Steve Anderson ` who was at bat during the Watertown fielding meltdown, belted a solo home run over the right field fence to make it 3-1.
Barron soon had his own meltdown on the mound, though. He allowed four runs on four hits, walked another batter and committed a throwing error that led to Watertown’s go-ahead run.
`When pitchers don’t make pitches and they’re ahead in the count, you can’t do that. You can’t give it away like that,` said Davey.
Albany got one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut Watertown’s lead to 5-4 before Balkwill’s blast gave the Wizards the breathing room they needed. Watertown capped the scoring with two runs in the eighth inning.
Remillard had two hits and an RBI to lead the Dutchmen’s offense. The two hits raised Remillard’s batting average to .333, tops among all of Albany’s batters.
`I had a little mechanical issue early, and I worked on it,` said Remillard. `I’m trying not to think about it now when I’m at the plate.`
`He’s made adjustments, and he’s worked hard,` said Davey.
Capone had one of his best games at the plate Saturday for Watertown. He ripped a pair of hits and drove in a run in his return to Bob Bellizzi Field, where Saint Rose plays its home games.
`It was just nice to be back,` said Capone. `I don’t know what it is about this field, but I hit the ball well here.`
Albany entered this week with 11 games left to try to make a run back towards a playoff spot, beginning with Monday’s scheduled game at East Division-leading Amsterdam (24-14). The Dutchmen trailed second-place Glens Falls (23-15) by 6.5 games in the East Division, where the top two teams qualify for the PGCBL playoffs.
`The goal for the rest of the season is to win every game and finish with the best record we can,` said Davey.
The Dutchmen returned home Tuesday to face Cooperstown. Albany hosts Elmira Wednesday before going on a two-game road trip to Newark Thursday and Glens Falls Friday.
Albany’s second-to-last home game is Saturday against Amsterdam. Three of the Dutchmen’s final four regular season games are on the road.“