MIDDLETOWN >> Scoreless through five innings, the Piner Prospectors pushed across three runs in the top of the sixth and went on to beat the Middletown Mustangs 4-2 in non-league varsity baseball action on Wednesday afternoon at Wes Martin Field.
Neither team managed much in the way of offense through the first five innings and both clubs finished the game with only four hits.
“We didn’t swing the bat much, but the defense did a really good job,” Middletown coach Brad Holt said.
Middletown starter Brett Pike worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings before giving way to reliever and losing pitcher Ezekiel Perez. After closing out the fifth for Pike, Perez struggled in the sixth, walking two and hitting another to set up Piner’s three-run inning.
“We also made an error that let a run score,” Holt said.
The Mustangs (1-4) got two of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth when Albert Ruske followed an intentional walk to Stephen Amos, loading the bases, with a RBI single that turned into two runs when the throw home was high and got away for an error.
Piner’s Dylan Currin homered to straightaway center field in the top of the seventh against reliever Johnny Kelley to give the Prospectors (3-1) an insurance run.
Kelley had two of the Mustangs’ four hits while Ruske and Tyler Showen had one each.
Middletown is home today to play El Molino at 4 p.m. The Mustangs also host the Healdsburg Greyhounds on Monday at 4 p.m.
