Lynn Shore Little League beats Saugus National

LYNN – Holy smoke — with the operative word being smoke.The Lynn Shore Little League All-Stars pounded out 17 hits, including two home runs by pitcher Julien Silvestre, in a 20-5 win over Saugus National Thursday in District 16 All-Star action at Wyoma.Once Lynn Shore got the bats going in the second inning, there was no letup. After three innings, Lynn led 7-0 and things went from bad to worse for Saugus in the fourth when Lynn put 13 runs on the board.Lynn Shore manager Mark Sullivan wasn?t all that surprised by his team?s performance at the plate.?The bats were alive today,” Sullivan said. “We?ve been pushing the kids in practice with probably three hours of batting practice at night and they hit like this in practice.”After going down in order in the first inning, Lynn Shore was all business in the second inning, scoring three runs. Silvestre singled and Wando Perez doubled to center field, setting the stage for Francisco DeLeon, who ripped a two-run single to right field. Another run came in on an error.The fourth inning went much the same with leadoff hitter Jomar Moreta reaching on an error and Andy Duverge hitting a pop single to shallow right field. Max Gieg brought them both in with a two-run single to center field, giving Lynn a 5-0 lead. The score jumped to 7-0 when cleanup hitter Silvestre put the ball over the right field fence.Unfortunately for Saugus, Lynn was just getting started. The 13-run fourth featured nine hits, two walks and four errors.?They hit the ball hard and we made nine errors (total),” Saugus National manager Fred Moore said. “You make nine errors along with (Lynn Shore?s) hard hitting and you?re not going to win.”Saugus coach John Beliveau said they talked to the players and told them it?s one game.?We?re going to regroup,” he said. “We?ll be back.”The 13-run inning featured a number of big hits, but perhaps the most devastating was Silvestre?s second bomb of the night. This one was a three-run home run that drove in Duverge and Gieg, who had each singled to get on base. Earlier that inning, Silvestre had hit a hard shot to short that the shortstop and left fielder misplayed, allowing two runs to score. Gieg also drove in two runs that inning and Duverge one. DeLeon (3-for-4) dinged the centerfield fence with a double.Saugus did have a bright spot in catcher Richie Pagliuca, who singled in the third inning and had a solo home run in a three-run fourth inning.Silvestre was as tough on the mound as he was at the plate, only giving up three hits. He did walk five batters.Sullivan said quite a few players on this year?s team have been together for several years. He said he and coach Ryan Gendron have been with many of them since they were in the minors when Lynn Shore as a league was struggling.?It?s been a great ride so far,” Sullivan said. “I hope we have more in us.”Lynn Shore will play Peabody West Wednesday, July 2, at Nahant (5:45).