Navs fall to Gulls

NEWPORT, RI – The dynamic duo of Gulls Mike Kaminski and Derek Jones proved the key in this Newport win over the North Shore Navigators, having to do with all of the scoring done by the Gulls.When Newport turned to the bullpen, the Navs offense was shut down and the Gulls cruised to a 4-2 win at Cardines Field this Independence Day. Kaminski’s two-run jack in the second was followed by a solo shot from Washington State’s Derek Jones. The back-to-back dingers for the Gulls plated a total of three runs to give them the lead 3-0.Washington State hurler Chad Arnold seemed to be sailing through this one until the Navs gave him trouble in the fourth. Arnold was shaken up in the fourth, tossing another wild pitch (3) allowing the two walked men (Jim Schult, John Hill) to reach second and third. Vanderbilt product Matt Marquis knocked in a run when he grounded out to second. Hill then scored from third on an errant pickoff attempt from catcher Mike Melillo. With two down in the bottom half of the fourth, the Gulls looked to go down quietly until once again the Gulls sluggers, Kaminski and Jones, struck for the second time.After Kaminski walked, Jones skied a ball off the centerfield fence, giving him a double and his second RBI of the night.Santa Cruz native Jason Markovitz outlasted Gulls starter and Washington State hurler Chad Arnold by only an out in this Fourth of July matchup. Markovitz finished his 5 2/3 innings allowing only four earned runs on four hits in his shortest start of the season while Arnold wrapped up his sharp 5 1/3 innings only allowing two earned on two hits.The Navigators couldn’t seem to manufacture any offense against the strong bullpen performance from the Gulls. The North Shore bats were hitless from the fifth inning on and it’s clear that this game was won by the relief of the Newport pitching staff. With two outs in the top of the sixth and men on first and second for the Navs, University of Washington reliever Geoff Brown worked out of a tight jam. LeMoyne College’s Sean Paino fielded a single by Tre Dennis and fired a strike to Gulls catcher Mike Melillo to nail Kyle Multner at the dish. The Navigators as well as the NECBL enjoyed an off-day Sunday as that day the NECBL All-Star team took on Team USA in Manchester. Tonight, right-hander Mike Gallo gets the nod for North Shore (14-6) as the first-place Navigators take on the Lowell All-Americans (4-9) Monday night in Lynn (7).