Danvers gets jump on Lynn in Gallant Tournament

SALEM – Lynn’s opening game in the 27th annual Ray Gallant Baseball Tournament can probably be summed up in one word: Frustrating.The defending champions got a solid pitching performance on the mound from Brett Holey and played flawlessly behind him. Problem was that Danvers’ Mike Cravatis was in another world on Friday.Click here for a photo gallery of last night’s game.Danvers’ starter struck out 14 while walking none as his team broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning en route to a 9-4 win at Forest River Park.Lynn will play Marblehead today (1:30) in an elimination game while Danvers will take on Gloucester (7) in a winner’s bracket semifinal.”(Cravatis) was a really good pitcher,” Lynn manager Jack Bartlett said. “We couldn’t get a hit when we needed it.”Holey pitched well on Friday against a tough Danvers lineup, striking out nine but allowing two homers and nine earned runs.”Brett really did pitch good,” Bartlett said. “His curveball was really good and his change-up was decent. He just couldn’t get the fastball over the inside part of the plate and that made it tough at times.”Cravatis struck out the side in the first before his mates staked him to a 2-0 lead via an Andrew Olszak sacrifice fly and a mammoth solo homer to center from Corey Crossley.Lynn got a run back in the top of the second when Matt Desilets hit a solo homer over the left field scoreboard to cut the gap to 2-1 despite Cravatis striking out six of the first seven he faced.The defenders would then work a little two out magic to pull in front in the third.Pat Bartholomew bunted for a hit and was at second with two outs when Kyle Morrill reached on an infield hit and Herbie Newton ripped a 3-run bomb to suddenly give Lynn a 4-2 lead. Cravatis got out of the inning a batter later before his team tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a passed ball and Steve Suchicki’s single.”Their kid was throwing really well so it was surprising we were able to get ahead like we did,” Bartlett said.It stayed 4-4 until Ed Tylus led off the fifth for Danvers with a solo homer to left. Tim Unczur followed with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. He came around to make it 6-4 on Olszak’s base hit.A single and a walk loaded the bases for Cravatis, who lifted a sac fly to center, scoring Olszak for a 7-4 lead.Lynn would have a glorious chance to get back in the game in the sixth, loading the bases with one out. Cravatis, however, fanned Brett Molea and Desilets to bring his strikeout total to 13 and end the inning.”That was a huge chance there and we couldn’t get anything across,” Bartlett said.Danvers put the game away in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs to make it 9-4. Cravatis promptly retired the side in the seventh to complete his gem.In the late game, Gloucester jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then had to hold off a late Marblehead rally to take a 5-2 win.