Midget Black Sox keep rolling

The Soo Cambrian Mazda Midget Black Sox are on quite a roll.

The Sox took three of four games this weekend against Traverse City and have now won five of their last six games to improve their Great Lakes Baseball League record to 7-7.

The Sox and Rockets played two double headers over the weekend, one on Saturday evening and the other taking place Sunday morning. The Black Sox took three straight games from the Rockets after dropping the weekend opener.

In the opening game on Saturday, Traverse City picked up three hits from Jon Reese and two more from Paul Flynn as they knocked off the locals 10-6.

Bryce Grimard got the start for the Sox and pitched five innings striking out four hitters, while Kyle Sayers pitched the final two innings striking out four as well. Tyler Binkley, who was solid all weekend, picked up a pair of hits in the loss.

Game two was a treat for the fans as the locals picked up an 8-7 win in 12 innings.

The game, which the Sox held a 5-2 lead at one point, saw local starter J.J. Bergamin pitch all 12 innings to get the victory.

Rick Mills, who also played a factor in game two of Sunday's double header, picked up three hits and scored two runs in the game. Binkley added three hits as well.

Kyle Walkdwiak chipped in offensively with two hits for Traverse City, who took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth but could not hold on.

The early game on Sunday saw Tyler Binkley pitch a strong game as the Sox picked up a 6-3 victory. Sayers had two hits for the Sox while Brandon Smith reached base twice in the game as well with two walks for the Rockets.

Game two on Sunday afternoon was one that had pretty much everything. From lead changes, to timely hits and even a solid defensive play or two, this was a game with just a bit of everything.

The Sox opened the game with an early 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, as the Rockets were delegated the home team for Sunday's games, Traverse City exploded and opened up an 8-2 lead over the locals.

In their next at-bat in the top of the third inning, the Sox managed to get a rally of their own going. Kyle Sayers started the comeback when he doubled home a run.

Later in the inning, with two outs and the bases loaded, J.J. Bergamin singled home a run to cut the lead to 8-4.

Jeff Buchan then singled home two more runs and Rick Mills proceeded to hit a ground rule double, with runners on first and second, to score another run to make the score 8-7.

A wild pitch capped off a fine rally by the Sox who went into the bottom with the inning tied at 8-8.

The Rockets then scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-8 lead.

Tyler Binkley led off the fourth inning with a ground rule double for the Sox, then moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch to cut the lead to one run.

With the bases loaded again and just one out, Buchan pulled through again.

The young catcher hit a sharp grounder to the Rockets shortstop, who made the play at second for one out, but the throw to first was off the mark and two runs were scored to give the Sox their second lead of the game at 11-10. After holding the Rockets off the score sheet in the bottom of the inning, the Sox picked up a leadoff walk from Adam Carricato, who proceeded to third on a wild pickoff throw to first.

Moments later, Carricato took advantage of a delayed double steal and took off for home and scored to make the score 12-10.

In the bottom of the fifth inning Traverse City picked up a pair of clutch singles, one scoring two runs and the other plating one run to give the Rockets another lead, this time 13-12.

After both teams got through the sixth inning unscathed, the Sox got another rally going in the top of the seventh inning. With runners on first and second, Binkley proceeded to hit his second ground rule double of the game and knock in a run to tie the game.

Just a few pitches later, the go-ahead run, which turned out to be the winning run, scored on another wild pitch to send the game into the bottom of the seventh with the Sox leading 14-13.

The game finished off with what was probably the best defensive play of the weekend.

With runners on first and second and one out, the Rockets hitter lined a ball to short centre field.

Sox centre fielder Rick Mills charged in and made a diving catch and proceeded to throw out the runner at second who had ventured too far from the bag to end the game and give the Sox a three win weekend.

Since starting the season at 1-5, the Sox have managed to get themselves back to .500 and now take their 7-7 record into another home field double header on Wednesday night against the Petoskey Indians beginning at 6 p.m.