Despite Late Comeback from DC, Giants Defeat the Grays 6-3

The DC Grays fell to the Gaithersburg Giants Thursday evening 6-3. Played in Gaithersburg, the game was originally slated to be a home game for the Grays, however it was relocated to the Giants' home field due to rain from the past few days. 

Jamie Whittier (Wofford) took the mound for the Grays, his second start of the season. In his first inning of work, he looked dominant, striking out two. Whittier added another pair of strikeouts in the top of the second. 

DC got on the board first. Tyler Wiltsey (Rutgers) hit a one-out double and scored on a throwing error to take the early 1-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the second, Noel Rivera (Marist) led off with a double and was driven in by an RBI single from Ayden Ellis (Rutgers) to extend the lead 2-0. 

This is when the tide would turn for Gaithersburg. 

Nate Hawton-Henley (Maryland) hit a one-out single and was waived home courtesy of a Brady Powell (Radford) double to cut the lead in half. Powell would score on an Andrew Holub (Iowa) ground out to tie the game at 2-2. 

Swiftly following was a two-run home run from Bryce Rudisill (Mount St. Mary's), extending the lead 4-2. 

It was not just the Giants' bats that caught fire in the third inning, their pitching did, too. Sean McCabe (Charleston) had a fantastic outing on the mound. After allowing the two early runs, McCabe plowed through the Grays lineup. In five innings of work, he allowed five hits, two walks, two runs and struck out eight batters. 

Hawton-Henley hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth, 5-2 Giants. 

Holub added a further insurance run in the top of the eighth with a sacrifice fly, growing the lead to four, 6-2. 

But in the ninth inning, things got interesting. The top of the frame kicked off with a 1-2-3 inning from AJ Thomas (Marist). After two early outs in the bottom of the frame, TJ Addonizio (Richmond) hit a single. Wiltsey drew a full count walk. Tanner Wolpert (Franklin and Marshall) hit a single to load the bases for Andy Rivera (Holy Family). 

Rivera's plate appearance kept fans at the edge of their seats. Slowly but surely working the count full. Rivera smacked a ball off the bat at over 100 miles per hour that just drifted foul past left field. Ultimately, Rivera drew a walk to score Addonizio, Grays cut the deficit 6-3.  

Gaithersburg went to their bullpen to try to get the last out, with Shane Murphy (Undecided) stepping onto the mound. All he needed was one pitch for Luke Caucci to pop out to shortstop to end the game, 6-3. 

The Grays sit at 13-13 heading into the final stretch of the season. Their next game is Friday evening on the road against the Silver Spring-Tacoma Thunderbolts at 7:00 PM.