Published: August 10, 2009 11:34 pm      

Rodriguez lifts Brooklyn over Elk County

REVLOC — Jerry Katze, manager of the Brooklyn Bonnie Rams, was all smiles after his team defeated the Elk County Kersey Diamonds 9-2.

Not only did his squad advance to meet Buffalo in today’s second round, but he received a solid performance from his ace, Francisco Rodriguez.

However, Katze knew that winning the first game in this tournament might be a little more important this year than in other years.

“Anytime that you go to the tournament and Baltimore and Washington aren’t here, you’ve got to feel you have a chance,” the Brooklyn manager said.

The Bonnies won easily, but they had to walk through some raindrops. The Brooklyn squad took advantage of some control problems by Elk County starter Ryan LaBrozzi. The right-hander walked Alex Maldonaldo to open the game, and Maldonaldo scored on a sacrifice fly by Byron White for a 1-0 lead.

In the second, the Bonnies took advantage of five walks by LaBrozzi to score three more runs. Two of those were walked in, but Kersey manager Roger Beimel did not fault his pitcher for falling behind the Bonnies 4-0.

“Prior to (Brooklyn scoring any runs), we should have been out of the inning,” Beimel said. “We should have been out of the inning before we gave up any runs, and then we ended up walking in two. We just made too many mental errors. And, we didn’t score any runs. The combination of those two things (made the difference).”

The failure of the Kersey squad to hit with runners in scoring position may have been the key point in the game.

Elk County stranded 12 runners, including three in the first and three in the fifth as Rodriguez pitched out of trouble time and again.

“He’s our No. 1 pitcher, and he has done that a number of times in the course of the season,” Katze said.

“He puts guys on, then when he has to, he comes up with the big strikeout.”

Elk County narrowed the Brooklyn lead to 4-1 in the fourth. Nick Brennan doubled to center field and scored on Zach Buckler’s single.

Brooklyn finally unleashed its offensive arsenal in the eighth, knocking out four hits and scoring five runs that were aided by two Kersey errors.

Elk County added a single run in the ninth.

Julian Delarosa led the Brooklyn offense, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

Addison Dunn led Kersey with two hits and a run.

Elk County will face Lansing today.