AMSTERDAM - Just two nights after setting season highs in hits and runs, Albany Dutchmen starting pitcher Matt Snyder silenced the Amsterdam Mohawks' bats.
Snyder allowed two runs over seven innings, and the Dutchmen added on runs late in the game to pull away for a 6-2 win Tuesday night at Shuttleworth Park.
Snyder scattered six hits, walked one, hit two batters, and struck out four.
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Amsterdam’s Brian Ruby slides safely into second base as Albany Dutchmen shortstop Adam Young applies the tag during Tuesday’s game at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam. (The Leader-Herald/Mike Zummo)
"He's been pitching pretty well for us," Dutchmen coach Nick Davey said. "He went out, and as long as he's not beating himself with walks or anything, he's pretty good."
If there was one blemish on Snyder's performance Tuesday, it was the number of baserunners the Mohawks had on base. Amsterdam had the leadoff man on base in five of his seven innings, but his defense bailed him out with three double plays.
"We hit the ball pretty well, but they just turned the double play against us tonight," Mohawks coach Keith Griffin said.
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The Mohawks started the game picking up right where they left off from Sunday night's pounding of the last-place Cooperstown Hawkeyes, as Chase Green led off with a single up the middle, and Evan Stephens, who had been out of the lineup since injuring his elbow July 5 against the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs, had a bunt single.
Then, with one out, Zak Colby doubled off the glove of Albany third baseman, chasing Stephens in from second base with the game's first run.
However, with two runners in scoring position and one out, Snyder limited the damage by inducing a popout from Giuseppe Papaccio, who returned to the lineup after suffering from concussion-like symptoms June 27 in Albany, and Jeff Boehm grounded to second base for the third out.
"He really competes," Davey said. "If he's in the zone, he's tough. He pitched well up here his last start, and had some confidence."
In their return to the lineup, Stephens had two bunt singles, was hit by a pitch and struck out, while Papaccio walked, popped out twice, and struck out.
"I think I'm most happy about that, those guys coming back," Griffin said. "We just need to get [Giuseppe] some at-bats and Evan stepped right in there, and did pretty good. We just need to get those guys some at-bats to get them where they were. If we get them where they were, we're fine. The good thing is we're getting them well."
The Mohawks surrendered the lead in the fourth inning when Taylor Martin walked Michael Jurgella and gave up a double to Morgan Phillips with one out. After Jared Martin worked a walk, Jon Mestas popped out. Taylor Martin, however, couldn't get the final out, as Nick Chapman plated two with a single up the middle. The Dutchmen tacked on a run in the fifth when Jared Martin drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk.
"Two-out clutch hits are huge, which we had today," Davey said. "We did a great job down in the count, 0-2, 1-2, we really did a good job."
The Mohawks got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Scott Heath reached on an error and scored on Josh Nethaway's sacrifice fly. Then, with two men on, Snyder got Colby to ground into an inning-ending double play.
"We didn't play good enough to win," Griffin said. "We didn't play an awful game, but we didn't play a very good game."
While Snyder was efficient on the mound, Martin threw more than 100 pitches over his five innings. He allowed three runs, but gave up eight hits, walked three batters - one intentionally - and struck out three. He only survived three innings in his last start, a loss July 5 to Mohawk Valley.
"I felt Taylor's stuff was better tonight," Griffin said. "I thought he had a better changeup. I thought he had a better curveball. Sometimes, when they extend at-bats, sometimes your out pitch is not good enough. We need to help them coaching-wise, bullpen-wise, and help them get better out pitches."
Zach Remillard terrorized the Mohawks' bullpen in the sixth and eighth innings, both times with two outs. He drove in a run off Kevin Archbold in the sixth with a single to right field, and he hit a two-run double to left field off Matt Gallup in the eighth, to give the Dutchmen a four-run cushion.
"Those two runs that Zach had with that RBI double was big for us," Davey said. "It separated the game a little bit."
The Mohawks (23-6) will travel to Colburn Park tonight to face the Newark Pilots (15-15).
It is one of only two scheduled matchups between the teams this season.
"I wish we played everybody four times," Griffin said. "We play some of these teams 10 or 11 times, I wish we played them seven. But it is what is. The schedule is what it is, but I wish we played other teams a few more times."
Albany (14-14), however, is a half-game behind the Diamond Dawgs (14-13) for the fourth and final playoff spot. They are 1 1/2 games behind the second-place Glens Falls Golden Eagles (16-13).
"We've talked about it with these guys, and they're right on the same page with us, we can't worry about what other teams are doing," Davey said. "There are too many games left in the season. We just have to worry about playing good baseball, and hopefully after another 10 games and into the last week, we're in that hunt."
Albany 6, Amsterdam 2
Albany000 211 020 - 6 12 2
Amsterdam100 010 000 - 2 7 0
Snyder, Graham (8), Lacosse and Jurgella; Martin, Archbold (6), Gallup (7), Zlotnick (9) and Colby