Royals sweep doubleheader

By Jerry Holsworth -- sports@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- The Winchester Royals faced a daunting challenge Sunday when Haymarket, the North Division leader, came to Bridgeforth Field for a pair of games. The Royals, who were in last place and 2 1/2 games behind the Senators, used the challenge to make up ground with a doubleheader sweep (3-2, 11-8).

"This gets us back in the hunt," Winchester coach John Lowery Jr. said. "They are a very well-coached team, and we got a couple of good wins off of them to start the week."

The Royals got two excellent performances on the mound from starters Brandon Sinnery and Matt Brazis. Sinnery gave up just one run on four hits through six innings on the mound in Game 1. Nate Bayuk (2-1) got the win in relief for Winchester, allowing one run on two hits during his single inning on the mound.

Brazis (2-0), who was making his first start since high school, went 5 2/3 innings before giving way to relievers Jorge Marban and Matt Zahel. The Boston College freshman gave up five runs on four hits while striking out three and walking one.

"I gave up two home runs, but I was happy with the rest of my performance," Brazis said. "I'm usually a relief pitcher, so it felt good to be starting."

Winchester pitchers, however, got solid run support, particularly in the late innings. Leading 2-1 heading into the top of the seventh in Game 1, the Royals were stunned when the Senators scored to tie the game 2-2 when Greg Hopkins drove home Zeth Stone on a single to center.

The Royals, though, were determined not to let the game slip away. Bobby Rauh smashed a single to right in the bottom of the seventh to drive home Steven Sabins for the winning run.

In Game 2, Winchester exploded for six runs in its half of the first, then fought off a determined comeback attempt by Haymarket to preserve the win. Robert Maddox was the hero at the plate for the Royals, clubbing a grand slam over the rightfield fence in the first.

"That's my second one and it felt real good," Maddox said. "I was seeing the ball real well tonight, and I think that showed."

Maddox finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with five RBIs, including an RBI triple in the fourth. The Ohio sophomore also scored on the play when the throw to third sailed past Hopkins.

Brazis' two miscues were a solo homer to Hopkins, who leads the Valley League in hitting with a .455 average, in the fourth, and a three-run shot over the leftfield fence by Riley Cooper.

Cooper's homer was the beginning of a six-run sixth that narrowed Winchester's lead from 9-2 to 9-8. Sam Greenberg followed Cooper with another three-run homer in the inning, this one clearing the rightfield fence.

With the Royals' lead in danger, Winchester batters repeated their Game 1 heroics to hold the lead. This time it was Sabins who got the key hit, a two-run homer over the centerfield fence to put the Royals up 11-8 heading into the seventh.

"These guys have all been in pressure situations like that in college," Maddox said. "It was nothing new. We didn't panic, we just got the job done."

Zahel entered the game in relief with two outs in the sixth, and allowed just one from the four batters he faced.

"Our guys haven't played the best so far this year," Lowery said. "But they have energy about them that I really like. They stay in the game, and they never give up."