PEABODY – Behind a stellar all-around performance from Peabody pitcher Alex Gonzalez, the Peabody Blue beat East Lynn, 11-1, in a District 16 Little League baseball game at James Street Park.
Gonzalez pitched 4 ? innings and gave up one run on two hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and four RBIs.
?He played a great all-around game,” said Peabody coach Frank Leonard. “He handled himself well on the mound and at the plate.”
Peabody struck right away in the top of the first. After back-to-back singles and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs, second baseman Matt Bothello knocked an RBI single to put Peabody up, 1-0, and loaded the bases. Next up was right fielder Christian Ploumbidis, and he delivered with another RBI single to put Peabody up by two.
After Gonzalez cruised through the bottom of the first, Peabody came right back to score three more in the top of the second. Left fielder Brian Panzini led off with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball, then tagged up on a fly ball to right field to move up to third. Then Gonzalez stepped to the plate and knocked an RBI single. After a fielder?s choice and a single put two on with two out, Ploumbidis smashed a two-run double to put Peabody up 5-0.
Gonzalez struck out the side in the bottom of the second, and then helped Peabody continue its barrage in the top of the third. After Eric Ferguson scored on an error, Gonzalez stepped to the plate with two on and one out. He smashed a three-run homer to dead center field to put Peabody up, 9-0.
Gonzalez went on to strike out the side again in the third and fourth before getting in a bit of trouble in the fifth. After giving up two hits and a walk, he was replaced by Christian Loescher.
East Lynn shortstop Deirian Arias knocked an RBI single to put East Lynn on the board, but that?s all it could muster.
After Loescher struck out the final two batters, the game ended after five innings because of the 10-run rule.
?It was a great team effort today,” Leonard said. “Everyone contributed for us.”
Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.