Petaluma holds off Wonders, 10-9

By Matt Hanlon

Wine Country Baseball.com

The Petaluma Piratas entered week 11 of Wine Country Baseball with perhaps the toughest week schedule off any team this season. And they started it all off with yet another dramatic win at Arnold Field.

Despite leading for the entire game, a few costly defensive and pitching errors put the Piratas’ hopes for a big week in jeopardy. But Petaluma (7-2) staved off the Windsor Wonders in a shaky, time constrained, eight-inning 10-9 win on Wednesday night in Sonoma.

Both teams entered the game with plenty to prove. Windsor was riding a seven game winning streak and Petaluma who barely beat Sonoma last week after a disappointing loss to Oakville two weeks before.

The win was a big boost for the Piratas who face the league leading Santa Rosa Giants on Saturday at Cardinal Newman High School.

“We knew this was a big week,” said Piratas’ manager Nate Wall. “We wanted to get at least get one win, to split. Now we’re going for two.”

Petaluma’s Jaymes Manos got the win with a short start. He threw 3 2/3 innings but was forced out of the game after he experienced pain in his elbow.

Sammy Bruno was one of the key components of a Piratas’ offense that showered 11 hits through eight innings. Bruno finished 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and scored three runs.

TJ Drotleff and Vince Ambroselli also contributed, both went 2-for-4, Drotleff with a pair of RBIs and Ambroselli with one run batted in.

For the Wonders (8-2), Victor Hernandez swung the potent bat as he went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. The Wonders also saw big days from Nick Borowicz who was 2-for-5 and Riley Sullivan, who drove two runs home with a long double in the first inning.

The Wonders, who started off the season with an 11-9 hiccup of a loss against Sebastopol had since been unbeaten. That is, until Wednesday night.

Despite the loss the Wonders remain in second place in the league with a half game lead over the Piratas. The Giants remain in first, their only loss on the season coming against Windsor.