Dogs blast way to win in opener

TORRINGTON » Three of the Naugatuck Dogs’ first four batters blasted home runs against one of the league’s best pitchers on the way to a 13-2 shellacking over the Tri-Town Trojans in Game One of the Tri-State Baseball League’s best-of-three championship series at Fuessenich Park Tuesday night.

If that display didn’t convince Tri-Town fans, three more Naugy runs in the second inning did.

Meanwhile, the Dogs also showed their pitching depth. Brian Wrybek blanked the Trojans in the first inning, then left with a shoulder problem. Kevin Murray picked up right where he left off in a semifinal win last

week, holding Tri-Town to just three hits in eight innings, along with six strikeouts. Brendan Slattery came in to blank TriTown again in the ninth.

“It was tough,” said TriTown player/coach Dan McCarty. “They’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league, after us, for the last couple of weeks.”

“We’ve always relied on our hitting,” said Kyle Murphy (3-for-4, 2 doubles, 3 RBI, 3 runs), who hit backto-back

home runs with his brother Devin Murphy (3for-4, double, 4 RBI) in the first inning. “Brian making it through that first inning on the mound in spite of his injury set the tone.”

Nobody wants to pitch against the Dogs right now. Leadoff batter Sean MillerJones continued a tear, going 3-for-6, with a first-inning homer, 3 runs and an RBI; Ryan Plourde scored three times with 2 RBI; Mack Cianciolo was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI; Ryan Russell added a fourth homer in the sixth inning.

Meanwhile, Murray gave his catcher credit for his

own playoff work.

“Jeff Rustico knows his stuff back there,” said Murray. “He kept me with my fastball until I got my groove, then varied the target, in and out, up and down.”

The series continues at Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium tonight at 7 p.m., then back to Fuessenich Thursday if necessary.

Naugatuck Dogs 13, Tri-Town Trojans 2 At Fuessenich Park, Torrington Tri-Tow 000 101 000 – 2 4 3 Naugatuck 430 051 00X – 13 15 2 WP: Brian Wrybek. LP: Miles Scribner. HR: N – Sean Miller-Jones; Kyle Murphy; Devin Murphy; Ryan Russell. 2B: N – K. Murphy 2; D. Murphy.

Records: Tri-Tow 17-6; Naugatuck 21-5.