Peabody’s late rally downs Swampscott for NSBL title

SWAMPSCOTT – Peabody and Swampscott have met every other year since the turn of the century in the North Shore Baseball League championship series. And each time, the teams have taken the series to a deciding game seven.On Wednesday at Swampscott, it was the same story as it was winner-take-all on a perfect night for baseball. And while the start wasn’t perfect for Peabody, the ending wound up being what was desired.Overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the first inning, Peabody fought back with two runs in the sixth to tie the game and then took a 6-4 win when the Sox botched a double-play ball with one out in the top of the seventh.”That’s not a team that is easy to beat,” Peabody manager Steve Gridley said. “That’s the thing you look forward to at the end of the season ? A chance to play these guys.”The Sox were betrayed by what has been a staple of theirs over recent years – solid defense. In three of the four losses, Swampscott committed ill-timed errors.And Wednesday proved to be no different as the Sox committed five errors that directly led to all six of Peabody’s runs.”It’s a tough way to go out, but (Peabody) deserves it,” Swampscott manager Joe Caponigro said. “They came back to beat us. We had them on the ropes down 3-0 with one out in the first inning.”Caponigro’s analysis wasn’t far off as Peabody starter Dan Glabicky struggled to find the strike zone in the opening inning.Jason Blydell walked and went to third on Tony Nicosia’s single. Doug Spofford followed with a walk that loaded the bases. One batter later, Jason Tarasuik walked to score Blydell for a 1-0 lead.Jarred Weidenroth and Angelo Salustri followed with free passes that pushed across two more runs to make it 3-0 and knock Glabicky out after recording a single out.Dave DiCenzo came on and got Peabody out of the jam by striking out Ryan Radabaugh and Chris Oram.Peabody ate into the lead in the second when Derek Lyons reached on a fielder’s choice and then was safe at second when the Sox misplayed the first of three inning-ending double-play chances on Billy Haskell’s grounder to short.Centerfielder Jon Blodgett followed with a hit that scored Lyons to make it 3-1. Peabody would have had more if not for a spectacular diving catch by Oram in left on Brian Marshall’s shot that saved at least two runs.Swampscott got that run right back in the bottom of the inning as Blydell led off with a single and promptly swiped second. He was at third with two outs for Steve Carr, who delivered him with a hit up the middle to make it 4-1.But that was all DiCenzo would allow as he held the Sox hitless over the final five innings.”Dave has been phenomenal all year,” Gridley said. “He threw a complete-game shutout against Amesbury and on Sunday against them. And then to come back (Wednesday) against them and pitch 6 2/3 innings was amazing.”Peabody knocked Swampscott starter Eric Fields from the game in the third after Garrett Greer singled and scored on an error on Zack Keenan’s base hit. Fields departed in favor of Brent Tarasuik following a walk to Kyle Multner.Tarasuik got the Sox out of the jam and through the middle innings with the 4-2 lead. But the defensive troubles reared their head in a big way during the sixth.Marshall doubled to lead off before Greer hit a grounder to third. But the ball was thrown away, allowing Greer to reach second. Mike Giardi was hit by a pitch before Keenan’s sacrifice fly to center scored Marshall to make it 4-3 with one out.Derek Lyons then hit a routine double-play ball to third, but the relay throw to first was wild, allowing Greer to score the tying run.Peabody then took the lead in the seventh thanks to three hits and a very untimely error.With one out, Blodgett singled to center. Swampscott native Keith Cooper followed with a bunt hit down the third base line, knocking Tarasuik out in favor of game six hero Joe Breen.Breen, pitching for the second time in as many days, watched Marshall lace his first delivery to center to load the bases. Gr