No one was more appreciative of the Chatham Ironmen’s five-run first inning against the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders than Ironmen starting pitcher Derek Wilson.
Wilson rode the outburst to a 10-1 complete-game victory in Game 4 of the team’s New Brunswick Senior Baseball League playoff game on Monday in Charlottetown.
Chatham leads the best-of-seven semifinal series 3-1. Game 5 is Wednesday in Chatham.
“It was a great start. I meant all I had to do was throw strikes,’’ said Wilson, who scattered eight hits over seven innings. “I usually don’t have much success against them when we come over here. They put the ball in play. Tonight we had a good lead and played good defence. I wouldn’t have expected a result like this, but I’ll take it.’’
The Islanders first inning at Memorial Field was a disaster, at least in baseball terms, helped along by three Islanders errors and three walks.
Starting pitcher Dan O’Shea and the shaky Islanders defence allowed the Ironmen to cycle through the batting order. Chatham sent 11 men to the plate, despite just two hits. Wilson helped his cause with a two-run double which drove in the fourth and fifth runs.
Meanwhile, the Islanders had a first-inning hit by Jeremy MacKinnon then didn't get another the bottom of the fourth. Brett MacDonald drove in the lone Islanders run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“When you get down (so far) after the first inning it makes you feel like you have to do more,’’ said Islanders right-fielder Sean Corcoran, who had a pair of singles. “We’ve scored one run in the last two games. We’ve got to start hitting the ball.’’
Charlottetown lost 11-0 in Game 3 on Sunday. In that game, Chatham’s Jason Dickson pitched the complete-game shutout and held the Islanders to six hits. Orry Cook (3-3), Alan Hilchie (2-3) and Klye Gilligan (2-4) led the Ironmen offence.
Islanders shortstop Andrew Macdonald (2-2) led at the plate. Mike Thompson suffered the loss allowing four runs in four and two-thirds innings of work.
So, Monday’s result sets up a series-clinching game for Chatham and a series-extending game for Charlottetown.
And it’s one of the toughest contests to win in any series, said Wilson.
“Always. They’re fighting for their playoff lives. They’re a scrappy team,’’ he said.
As for the Islanders, it’s simple — extend the series because playoffs are unpredictable.
“Our backs are against the wall,’’ said Corcoran. “We know what we have to do.’’
Matt Dixon, Jacob Beck and Ty Hughes also pitched for the Islanders on Monday. The group along with O'Shea gave up seven hits, eight walks and had three strikeouts.
Wilson struck out six Islanders batters. Cook (3-4) paced Chatham’s offence. Gilligan had a solo home run off O’Shea in the second inning.
Game six, if necessary, is Thursday at Memorial Field. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
