Naugatuck Dogs advance to semis

TORRINGTON » The Naugatuck Dogs put hitting, pitching and defense to good use Wednesday evening for a 7-3 win over the Watertown Blaze in the Tri-State Baseball League playoff quarterfinal game at Fuessenich Park.

Eleven hits and home runs by Jeff Rustico, Kyle Murphy and Devin Murphy put veteran pitcher Lance Stevens in the driver’s seat early while the Dogs piled up a 5-0 lead by the top of the fourth inning, with two more in the seventh to ease Stevens’ ride home.

Stevens, a California alumnus of San Francisco State and several years of independent pro ball, including the Bridgeport Bluefish, worked his way out of jams for nine innings, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth inning, then giving up his first run in the fifth while stranding two more with the help of his defense and six strikeouts.

“It’s playoff time; we need to save our pitching,” grinned Stevens who threw well over 100 pitches in his nine innings.

The top of the Naugatuck lineup was murderers row for

three Watertown pitchers. Sean Miller-Jones was 2-for-3, with 3 runs and a double; Ryan Plourde, 4-for4, with an RBI and a run; Kyle Murphy, 2-for- 4; and Devin Murphy with his home run.

Jeff Rustico, in the seven spot in the lineup made sure Watertown pitchers couldn’t relax, in a 2-for- 4 night with his homer.

Watertown, undefeated in the league’s regular season, left nine runners on base altogether after making a run in the Stan Musial State Tournament.

“We haven’t played very well in our last couple of games,” said player/coach Chris Ayer.

The Dogs play the Bethlehem Plowboys tonight in the semifinal game that decides who faces the TriTown Trojans in next week’s best-of-three league championship series.

Naugatuck Dogs 7, Watertown Blaze 3

At Fuessenich Park, Torrington

Naugatuck 112 100 200 – 7 11 3

Watertown 000 010 101 –381

WP: Lance Stevens. LP: Charlie Benson. HR: N – Kyle Murphy; Devin Murphy; Jeff Rustico. 2B: N – Sean Miller-Jones; Rustico.

Records: Naugatuck 194; Watertown 21-2.