Canton’s Ben Sullivan had a home run and a double in Thursday night’s Tri-State League loss to the Brass City Vipers.
CANTON, June 30, 2022 – Ben Sullivan hit the first home run of the season for the Canton Crushers and a had a double but the visiting Brass City Vipers beat the Crushers, 9-5 at Bowdoin Field Thursday.
The visiting Vipers scored five runs in the fifth inning to erase an early 4-1 lead for the Crushers and take control of the contest. The Vipers added three more runs in the seventh inning to turn a two-run lead into a five-run cushion.
Jake Bryant was 2-for-3 for the Crushers with two RBI while Sullivan also drove in two runs. Sean Bahre was 2-for-3 for Canton, now 3-8.
Starting pitcher Jim Spirito went four innings, allowed four hits and struck out five. He walked just three.
For Brass City (5-8), pitcher Joe Kwaak went the distance, allowing eight hits but striking out 10 Crusher batters. He walked three.
Canton returns to action on Tuesday, July 5 when they host the Valley Thunder Ducks from Wolcott beginning at 5:45 p.m.
The Crushers are in a fight for the final spots in the 2022 Tri-State League playoffs. The top 10 teams make the playoffs and at the moment, the Crushers are a half game behind Torrington Twisters (4-8), who currently hold the tenth and final spot in the playoffs.
Canton has six games remaining in the regular season. After playing the Thunder Ducks on July 5, Canton hosts Naugatuck at Bowdoin on July 7 at 5:45 p.m., hosts Burlington at 4 p.m. on July 10, plays a doubleheader at Naugatuck on July 17, beginning at 6 p.m., and closes out the season with a game against Brass City at Buck Hill Park in Waterbury at 7 p.m. on July 21.
Brass City 9, Canton 5
At Canton
Brass City (5-8) 100 050 3 — 9-8-3
Canton (3-8) 220 000 1 — 5-8-3
Joe Kwaak and unknown; Jim Spirito, Steve Muller (5), Scott Speri (5), Nick Michanczyk (6), Mike Scott (7) and Jeff Mulhall; WP: Kwaak; LP: Muller (0-3); 2B: Ben Sullivan (C), Andrew D (B), Jalen K (B); 3B: Collin H (B); HR: Ben Sullivan (C)
