Kendro, Mill Rats even series with Aviators
Jul. 28—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — In just his second game as a member of the Johnstown Mill Rats, infielder Jake Kendro continued to build on his first impression he made in his debut on Wednesday night.
The rising sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh provided a jolt with a go-ahead homer in the bottom of the sixth inning as Johnstown evened the four-game series against visiting Lafayette with a 7-5 triumph on Thursday night at Sargent's Stadium at the Point.
"You always have that in the back of your mind coming onto a new team that you don't want to do bad," Kendro said. "Really, you just kind of got to take the pressure off and just have fun. Baseball is fun, man. I love the game."
Kendro homered for the second time in as many games over the left-field screen. The University of Tennessee transfer finished Thursday with two hits, two runs and two RBIs.
"I played in the CCL (California Collegiate League)," Kendro said. "I entered the portal and then I came here. I still want to get live ABs. I know Sully (Johnstown manager Tyler Sullivan) pretty well, so I asked him if I could come up here and just started playing."
Both Johnstown (10-11 second half, 22-28 overall) and Lafayette (9-16, 25-25) have won four games in the season series. The Mill Rats have a 47-43 run differential.
The teams meet again for four contests next week in Indiana.
"We did the same thing on the road against them last week," Sullivan said of evening the series. "Pretty much every game has been competitive against them because they have a great team over there. It was good to come out even for us."
Gio Calamia (two stolen bases) and Matt Santarelli each contributed two knocks for Johnstown.
James Jett went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead Lafayette. Cameron Nagel added two hits and two runs.
With the game knotted at 5-all in the bottom of the sixth, Kendro greeted Lafayette left-handed reliever Foster McDonald by hammering a first-pitch fastball over the screen in left.
"I was sitting fastball," Valdro said. "I got it and just took a good swing at it. I think I'm just putting good swings on the ball."
In the seventh, a throwing error allowed Johnstown's Austin Baal to score from second base with two outs to lead 7-5.
Johnstown starter Nick Guidas lasted six innings and allowed five runs. Noah Czajkowski fanned two batters in the seventh inning. Dante DiMatteo earned the two-inning save, striking out two hitters.
"Not their best stuff today, but they competed with it and found a way to get it done," Sullivan said of his three hurlers. "We got some good bullpen performances as well."
Jett singled off the left-field screen to drive in a run and give Lafayette a 1-0 lead in the first, when a six-minute rain delay occurred.
Johnstown answered in the bottom half with Jake Kendro's RBI double and a two-run single from Matt Santarelli. The Mill Rats led 3-1 after Lafayette starter Caleb Everson tossed 44 pitches in just one frame.
Jett's second RBI single, combined with a double steal when there were runners on the corners forced a 3-all deadlock.
In the fourth, Johnstown retook the lead on Joe Alcorn's two-run single through the right side of the infield for a 5-3 edge. A balk moved both runners into scoring position.
Lafayette answered in the fifth with Brandon Daniels' RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Jett.
Aviators reliever Kendall Anthes fanned seven batters and allowed two runs over four frames.
Kendro's impact has come at a great time when Johnstown is making a push for a playoff berth.
"He has given us that power factor in the lineup," Sullivan said. "We're finally using that short porch in left and getting it over that big wall. He's been a huge spark for us."
Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.
