The Patchogue-Medford Raiders fell to the East Islip Redmen 6-5 on Monday in a summer league baseball game sponsored by the Suffolk County PAL and the Town of Brookhaven.
The Raiders nearly tied the score in the top of the seventh inning after rallying for two runs, but center fielder David Tornetta was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
The Raiders got on the board in the top of the first inning at East Islip High School after right fielder Matt Gajewski was hit by a pitch, stole second and, after going to third on a errant pickoff attempt, scored on a wild pitch.
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Patchogue-Medford added a run in the top of the third after Tornetta doubled, stole third base and then scored on an infield hit by Gajewski.
East Islip would strike in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs without hitting the ball out of the infield. Raiders starting pitcher Dan Tierney lost his control and walked the first four Redmen hitters of the inning. All four wound up scoring to give East Islip a 4-2 lead.
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The Raiders would cut the lead to one in the top of the fourth after Danny D'Onofrio singled home first baseman Cash Mahoney.
But in the bottom of the fourth, East Islip would increase their lead to 6-3, forcing Tierney out of the game. Vin Volpe pitched extremely well in relief, striking out four batters in 1 2/3 innings of shutout work.
With the score 6-3 in the top of the seventh, the Raiders offense struck. Catcher Kenny Johntry led off the inning with a ground ball to the hot corner that East Islip's third baseman misplayed for an error. Tierney then doubled in the right centerfield gap, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.
Eddie Johntry then singled, followed by an infield single by Tornetta off of the East Islip's pitcher's leg. An error on the East Islip shortstop on a ball hit by Raiders shortstop Frankie Capraro scored Eddie Johntry, before Tornetta was thrown out at the plate to end of the game.
Patchogue-Medford dropped to 3-4 in the summer league season.
Raiders coach Tony Frascogna said it's tough to play this time of year with Regents testing going on during the day, but the summer league affords the coaches a look at players for next spring's varsity season.
