Published: August 11, 2008 04:03 pm      

AAABA: Four-run seventh lifts Brooklyn past Buffalo

PORTAGE — After trading early runs, Brooklyn put up four in the seventh and pulled away from Buffalo 10-7 for an opening-round victory in the 64th AAABA Tournament.

Brooklyn will face Philadelphia in a winner’s bracket game on Tuesday afternoon.

Adalberto Vargas hit a game-changing two-run double to left field in the critical seventh to pull Brooklyn Youth Services within a run at 7-6, ending the day of Buffalo starting pitcher Charles Mye.

His replacement, Matthew Sullivan didn’t fare much better. Brooklyn kept the momentum going with a run-scoring double from Ronald Melo and an RBI single from Armando Gutierrez, and held an 8-7 lead after seven..

Brooklyn tacked on two more in the ninth, giving closer Joshua Reyes room to work with.

Levi Saenz, who came on in relief of starter Andres Caceres Jr., took the win, throwing four innings while allowing one run.

Sullivan took the loss for Buffalo, giving up three runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Buffalo had taken leads of 1-0, 4-2 and 7-4 before Brooklyn took control.