MIDDLETOWN >> Middletown’s poise was St. Helena’s poison on Tuesday as the Mustangs squeaked out a 5-4 win over the Saints with one out in the seventh inning.
St. Helena made five errors — the last of them a throw by Saints’ third baseman Paco Cortes proved decisive when Tyler Holt ambled home from third base with the winning run. Cortes’ errant throw came on his effort to throw out Middletown’s Cody Chorjel.
The win was Middletown’s second in as many North Central League I outings. The Mustangs also improved to 5-6 overall. St. Helena dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Mustang coach Brad Holt was surprised to see Cortes’ throw go over the Saints’ first baseman’s head.
“When (Cortes) threw it, it looked like it was on-plane. It was a little off. I don’t know if it was a wind coming across or what,” Holt said.
Shifting winds indeed had an effect on this game.
After blowing a 4-1 lead they held at the home half of the third inning, the Mustangs had to rely on the pitching of Albert Ruske and Tyler Holt to capture the win.
Ruske held the Saints to one run until the fourth when St. Helena pushed three across the plate to pull even at 4.
Holt came out of the bullpen to record the last five outs and pick up the victory. The Saints did get a runner as far as third base in both the fifth and sixth innings.
“I’m really happy with the way they did it,” said Holt of the last-inning win.
“One thing about a team like this, when you don’t hit very well it’ll be here next time,” he added. “Our bats are coming along.”
The Mustangs spread out 10 hits in winning their fifth game of the season. Chorjel, Travis Williams and Tyler Showen each finished with two hits while Holt went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
