Newport, RI – The sky indicated that it would be awfully tough to play baseball in Newport on Monday night. When the SteepleCats arrived at historic Cardines Field about two hours before a scheduled 6:30 first pitch, the air was heavy and a grey mist hovered in the ballpark. The radar was not much more promising, with most reports indicating that the area would be hit with scattered showers into the late evening. Then the rain began to fell at 5:30, just one hour before start time and the ‘Cats anxious to build off Sunday’s 7-4 win against Old Orchard Beach. They had travelled nearly three and a half hours from the northwest corner of Massachusetts to play the last of two regular season meetings against the top team in the Eastern Division. When the teams first met at Joe Wolfe Field back on June 26, the Gulls hung on to win 1-0 after scoring in the top of the first. That night, Jon Prosinski took a perfect game into the seventh inning before Drew Gadaire spoiled the bid with a slow roller that somehow found its way into center field. Regardless, the rest of the offense sputtered with just two hits all night, a familiar feeling for North Adams this season as they look to climb out of the gutter and claim that fourth and final playoff spot in the West. The rain cleared and the teams were set to play, which was rather fortunate given that Cardines Field may be the most exciting place to play in the NECBL. Yet, the field does not have a tarp, and during this damp New England summer, every little inch of dryness counts as games continue to be delayed, postponed, and rescheduled for later in the season. There would be no more rain the rest of the night, and even then sun appeared for brief stretches.

Another promising first inning for the ‘Cats began when left fielder Chantz Mack and All-Star shortstop Mike LeBel led off the frame with singles off Newport starter Tanner Poppe. The promising right-hander from the University of Kansas got Gadaire to fly out to right, which brought up top RBI man and All-Star Jacob Daniel. The Russellville, Alabama native drove in yet another run with a single that scored Mack to put North Adams on the board. Center fielder Justin Leeson had a chance coming into the game with back-to-back multi-hit performances and sent a grounder to shortstop Jack Reinheimer for a possible double play ball. Reinheimer got the lead out at second but the relay to first from Conor Keniry was off line and allowed LeBel to score to give the ‘Cats a 2-0 lead after one.

Cameron Copping was starting for North Adams fresh off his first loss of the season in Danbury the previous week. The third and final All-Star selection allowed a pair of hits in the first and one each in the second, fourth, and fifth, but kept his team in the game with that 2-0 lead still safe. With two outs in the fifth, leadoff man Kyle Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice groundout and tried stealing on Copping’s 0-1 offering to Reinheimer. Catcher Brett Frantini came up firing and one-hopped the throw to second baseman Corbin Blakey, who reached all the way to his left to make the grab and apply the tag on the speedy Johnson’s foot for the third out. All the while, Poppe settled down and kept the ‘Cats off the board as he struck out six across six innings of work.

Newport cut the game in half when third baseman Tom Richards singled home Conrad Gregor, after the designated hitter led off the home seventh with a single of his own against Copping before moving to second on a wild pitch. That would be the only blemish on the tall righty’s day as he went to the bench after the seventh with a chance to improve to 3-1. Trent Franzago came out for his second straight relief appearance in the bottom of the eighth and promptly allowed a leadoff infield single to Johnson. But once again, the timeless pairing of Frantini and Blakey was right on the money as Johnson was thrown out trying to steal for the second time. Franzago proceeded to strike out Reinheimer before freezing left fielder Matt Foat with a fastball on the inside corner for a called strike three. The ‘Cats could only manage one hit in the seventh off Joseph Hughes and wasted a pair of walks in the top of the ninth against lefty Dan Zlotnick as Blakey bounced out into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

In the ninth, Gray Carden ran in from the bullpen with an opportunity to rack up his seventh save of the season. Things quickly turned on the usually reliable Carden as he walked the cleanup hitter Tim Kiene, who was lifted for speedy pinch-runner Rand Ravnass. Gregor then bunted Ravnass to second before right fielder Robby Ort singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Richards then missed a sign and bunted back to Carden, who threw to first for the second out but put Ort at second for the winning run. After an intentional walk to the lefty swinging Keniry to go after number nine hitter and right-handed hitting catcher Jeff Mellilo, Carden walked him on four pitches to tie the game at 2 and keep the bases loaded for Johnson, already 2-for-4. Johnson struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch however with the bases full of Gulls and the winning run at third, sending the game into extra innings.

Already 1-1 in extras this season, the ‘Cats did not hesitate against Zlotnick as Mack led off with a single before LeBel bunted him to second. Gadaire walked, and Daniel sent a hard in-between grounder to second base that kicked off Keniry and into shallow right as Mack came around third to score the go-ahead run. With runners at second and third, Leeson was issued an intentional walk which allowed Steve Zavala to lift a deep sac fly to left field that scored Gadaire. Newcomer and former Gull Brent Hopkins picked up his first base hit of the season with a 2-RBI single that made it 6-2. In the bottom of the tenth, Bryant Guilmette worked a 1-2-3 inning to ensure his first save of the season as Carden picked up his first win.

The ‘Cats are off until Thursday when they’ll visit the Mystic Schooners at 6:30 pm. Make sure you listen to or watch the game by accessing the TeamLine link at the bottom of the team’s website by visiting www.steeplecats.com