The eighth inning was cruel to Waynesboro Tuesday. A failed suicide squeeze in the top half of the inning and some successful small ball by Rockbridge in the bottom half proved to be the difference as the Rapids defeated the Generals 4-2.
A leadoff double by Jared King had Waynesboro, then down 2-1, in business. A Colin Harrington sacrifice bunt moved King to third with one out. Manager Derek McDaniel put the squeeze on with leadoff hitter Jon Clinard at the plate, but the 1-1 pitch was well outside the strike zone, and King was tagged out by Rockbridge catcher Dillon Way. Clinard then grounded out to end the inning.
A pair of infield hits by Way and Shane Davis led off the bottom of the eighth for Rockbridge. A wild pitch by reliever Justin Thompson moved the runners to second and third, and Andrew Siano followed with a two-RBI single that made it 4-1.
A two-out ninth-inning single by Chase Worthington scored Drew Turocy to make it 4-2 and bring the tying run to the plate, but T.J. Kuban grounded out to end it.
Michael Reed (0-4) took the loss for Waynesboro in a solid effort, giving up two runs, one earned, in six and two-thirds innings.
Chris Griener (2-2) picked up the win for Rockbridge, which has now won four in a row overall.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at [email protected].
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