With standings tight, Bandits secure big win

By Dennis Atwood -- sports@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- The New Market Rebels and Woodstock River Bandits were a bit roughed up on the way to their Valley Baseball League contest Monday night and the tiredness showed.

The Rebels' only run was on the first balk of the year committed by Woodstock starter Ian Marshall and the River Bandits scored the winning run on a walk to take the 2-1 victory, ending New Market's six-game winning streak.

The Rebels fell out of first place in the Central Division after Luray beat Harrisonburg, 8-6.

All 14 hits in the game were singles -- 10 by Woodstock and 4 by New Market.

New Market (21-16, 11-7 Central) came in as the division leader, but suffered its fourth loss of the season at county rival Woodstock.

"We just haven't played very well last couple of nights," Rebels manager Lucas Jones said. "It's been discouraging. We're down to nine position players, we've had people getting hurt left and right, and we just haven't been able to battle through it."

On the second pitch of the game, Marshall hit leftfielder Kenny Mickens (.360, third in the league) with a fastball in the back of the helmet. Mickens went to the ground and stayed flat on his back while being attended by the training staff.

After a few tense minutes, Mickens got up and took first base. But he was replaced in the bottom of third by Matt Townsend.

"Kenny got a concussion and will have to undergo a week of observation, a routine precaution," Jones said. "We'll really miss him this last week of the regular season."

River Bandits' designated hitter Michael Garza fulfilled his role superbly, going 3-for-4 and getting the only bat-produced RBI when he knocked in Eric Kroll, who led off the third inning with a single.

"I've been struggling as of late, but it's a new game every day," Garza said. "You just have to go up there and clear your head. You get back-to-back hits you feel a little better, a little more comfortable. To come in after dropping three of four on the weekend and knock off a good team like New Market is a big win for us."

Marshall turned in seven solid innings, giving up just three hits and striking out eight against five walks. He also hit two batters and tossed a pair of wild pitches.

He was relieved by Douglas Wagner in the eighth, who picked up the win.

"The umpire said I stepped toward home [on the balk] before the pick-off attempt, but I thought it was more like 45 degrees, but that's the rule," Marshall said. "It was fun tonight to catch the division leader. I was having a tough time throwing strikes as well, with 114 pitches. It's all good though."

Wagner (2-1) had the good fortune of timing, as Woodstock scored the go-ahead run in the eighth, courtesy of rare New Market relief pitching woes.

With James Weiner on the mound, Stephen Hunt poked a one-out grounder in the 5-6 hole. Garza then made his only out of game, grounding out and moving Hunt to second.

Then Rebels pitchers delivered 12 consecutive balls, four by Weiner to Benton. Reliever Mike Roth couldn't find the plate either and walked Derek Vigoa to load the bases and Geraldo Caceres, who earned the game-winning RBI as he pushed Hunt across with the winning run.

Woodstock (21-20, 12-9 Central) closer Guido Knudson earned his seventh save by pitching the ninth inning and getting Rufus and Gartman to strike out looking, sandwiched around a lead-off single by Townsend and a walk to Seth Kivett.

"I didn't shake off any pitches because my catcher [Michael Benton], goes to UC-San Diego with me," Knudson said.

"We've got to able to win a game when we get a start like [Steven Thiele's]," Jones said. "Garrett Baker lost 1-0 here. We're not able hit here. It's a miserable place for us, going 0-4. It's probably one of the more disappointing losses of the year."