Garnet Garage pitcher Coy Budweg delivers a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Houghton Building Supply-Stanton Tuesday at the John Bostwick Field in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Sometimes in baseball, just a couple of innings can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Tuesday evening, Garage Garage used three innings out of 10 to score multiple runs and win both ends of a doubleheader against Houghton Building Supply-Stanton at John Bostwick Field in Houghton.

In the opener, Coy Budweg threw four strikeouts as Garnet Garage earned a 5-0 win. In the nightcap, Chris Saari did not strike out any, and yet he came away with the win, 7-3.

“We captured momentum,” said Garnet Garage player-coach Kevin Bostwick, “and in a five-inning game, all it takes is one moment and that changes the whole complexion of the game.”

Garnet Garage scored three runs in the first inning and added two more in the fourth to win the opening game. In the nightcap, they turned a 3-1 deficit in the third inning into a 6-3 lead before the third out was recorded.

“When you give them an extra out, and then they make you play, we just couldn’t execute the final out,” said Stanton player-coach Daron Durocher. “It seemed like sometimes, or even in the one case, it was the first out we couldn’t get, that’s baseball. I mean, guys showed up. I don’t feel bad about this at all.”

For the hosts, winning two was important considering the fact that Stanton defeated them to win the Leo Durocher Memorial Tournament.

“It feels really good,” Bostwick said. “We were pretty upset with how we played in that championship. We feel like we left some meat on the bone, so it was good to get back to it. Now we’re in the driver’s seat as far as hosting for playoffs. So, it was a big day.”

On the other side of the field, Daron Durocher was happy with the newest Stanton face, Cole Seppala. Seppala drew a walk in the opener, and had a single in the nightcap.

“We’re competitive,” he said. “A new player today with Cole, who showed some signs as another 16-year-old. So, the future keeps on going. There’s some positives that come out of every game.”

Bostwick was really pleased with the efforts of both of his pitchers, as both found ways to earn wins before the threat of thunderstorms made play impossible.

“(Coy) threw strikes, and a lot of weak contact,” he said. “We made enough plays, and whenever you put up a shutout, it’s pretty hard to lose it. So, we did enough offensively, and he kept him off the board. That was huge.

“Then, Game Two, Chris didn’t have his best stuff, but, picturesque Chris just finding a way. Doing everything that you’ve ever seen on MLB.TV. He did it, did enough, and we escaped with no lightning right over the field.”

In the bottom of the first inning in the opening game, shortstop Kade Farrell led off with a double for Garnet Garage. Two batters later, catcher Mike Saari reached on a defensive error. Third baseman Gaborik Carlson was hit by a pitch. All three came around to score thanks to a walk by right fielder Jackson VonDoloski, and a single by first baseman Chris Saari.

The score remained 3-0 in favor of Garnet Garage into the fourth inning before they found home plate again.

Left fielder Carter Crouch singled to left field to lead off. Budweg laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Crouch. Farrell then walked, putting runners on the corners. Farrell stole second to put both runners into scoring position before center fielder Eli Heathman tripled to the right field fence, clearing the bases.

In the nightcap, Farrell led off by reaching on a defensive error. He got all the way around to third on the play. Three batters later, Mike Saari singled to bring Farrell home.

It did not take Stanton long to answer. Zach Geborkoff led off with a single to center. Joel Durocher was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Dax Durocher walked, and Geborkoff scored by stealing home.

In the bottom of the second, Stanton took their only lead of the night with a pair of runs. Eli Luoma walked, Bryce Hanner then singled to center. Seppala then singled to center as well, which loaded the bases. Geborkoff doubled to right field to score Luoma and Hanner.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Garnet Garage racked up five runs in the third.

Budweg got things started with a lead off single to right field. He moved to second on a passed ball before Farrell walked. A passed ball moved them both into scoring position before Bostwick singled to center, bringing both runs home. Bostwick then stole second before Mike Saari tripled to the right field fence, making it 4-3 at that point. Carlson then singled to center field to score Saari.

Carlson stole second and an error allowed him to get to third. VonDoloski then singled to bring him home and extend Garnet Garage’s lead to 6-3.

“I think we’re just putting together better at-bats, and better sequencing,” Bostwick said. “We were kind of running into, earlier in the year, where it’d be the bottom of the order would be hot and we wouldn’t get anything from the top, or vice versa. I feel like our sequencing (was better). This game where he put up a five spot, we just kept hitting the ball. That sequence is huge.”

Looking for an insurance run, Garnet Garage got it in the fifth. Carlson drew a one-out walk. VonDoloski hit a ball that bounced over the left field fence for a ground-rule double. Then Chris Saari sacrificed to move the runners, and Carlson scored to extend the lead to four, where it stayed.

Up next

Garnet Garage hits the road on Thursday to face Northern Driveline at 6:30 p.m. at Stanton Field. Houghton Building Supply-Stanton is off until Tuesday, when they travel to Wolverine Field to face REL/Mohawk Technology.

Houghton Building Supply-Stanton second baseman Daron Durocher connects with a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Garnet Garage Tuesday at the John Bostwick Field in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)