Braves dominate Generals, 6-1

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

A season-high Mathers Park crowd watched Staunton take control of the rivalry game with Waynesboro with three unearned runs as the Braves coasted to a 6-1 win over the Generals Tuesday night.

The Generals took a 1-0 lead in the first when Grant Fillipitch singled to center off Staunton starter Logan Dodds to score Terrell Thompson from second. The Braves tied it at 1-1 in the third when Alex Guerra scored from third on a two-out wild pitch by Waynesboro starter Jeremy Fitzgerald.

Staunton broke it open in the fifth, scoring three runs with two out, the big blows coming on a throwing error by Jon Clinard that allowed Armani Johnson to score from second and a two-run single by Patrick Braswell that made it 4-1.

A two-out, two-run sixth-inning single by nine-hole hitter Evan Ashley, who entered the game hitting .111 on the season, made it 6-1 and chased Fitzgerald (1-3).

Dodds (2-1) pitched eight strong innings for the win, giving up a run on seven hits while striking out six.

The attendance of 645 was 250 higher than the second-most-attended home game of the 2010 season at Mathers Park – on July 2, when Waynesboro drew 395 fans to see the Generals take on the Rockbridge Rapids.