Harrisonburg took advantage of a sloppy Waynesboro fourth to jump out to a 6-0 lead, and then held on in the late innings to post an 8-4 win over the Generals Tuesday night.
The win brings the two teams into a tie for first place in the South Divsion as the Valley League heads into its final two weeks in the 2012 season.
There was no scoring until the fourth, when a misplayed potential double-play grounder opened the floodgates for the Turks, who scored six times in the inning, with five of the runs unearned.
Ben Krusen (0-1) threw five innings in his first start, striking out five, walking four and giving up four hits. Waynesboro cut into the lead in the fifth on a one-out bases-loaded triple by Bradley Noland. Noland was cut down at the plate one batter later when Julian Ridings bunted hard to the pitcher on a safety squeeze, and Chris Pike (2-0) made a diving stop on the ball and threw home to catcher Eric Mason for the putout.
The Generals were able to cut the Harrisonburg lead to 6-4 an inning later. Brandon Murray led off with a single and got to third on a double by Caleb Palensky. Rob Amaro singled one out later to plate Murray and reached second when the throw from the Turks outfield missed the cutoff man. Reliever Shawn O’Neill struck out Anthony Iacomini and then induced an inning-ending ground ball by JoJo Woods to end the threat.
Harrisonburg added two insurance runs in the eighth on a two-out, two-strike, two-run single by Grant Gibbs.
Waynesboro travels to Front Royal on Wednesday before beginning a three-game, two-night homestand on Thursday against New Market.
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Chris Graham
