[StBernard] Tommy MANZELLA of Chalmette, LA hometown hero Alumni of Hannan High/Tulane

[Westley Annis]

Game date 6/6/2006 
Rocket Makes Legendary Return 

The Rocket has officially landed back in baseball. But as he re-launched his career, Clemens wasn’t the only one firing things up. Tommy Manzella blasted off for a three-run homer that sent the Legends soaring over the Lake County Captains 7-4. Lexington remains a game ahead of Delmarva for first place in the Northern Division. 

The Captains took a surprising 1-0 lead in the first inning. After Clemens put away the first two batters, Johnny Drennen launched one off the Rocket over the Pepsi Party Deck in right field. Even the shocked crowd of over 9,000 applauded Drennan as he returned to the dugout. 

In the bottom half of the inning, the Legends answered the Captains with two runs. Josh Flores reached on an error to lead off the inning, then advanced to second on an Eric King single. A sacrifice bunt off the bat of Tommy Manzella advanced both runners. Mark Ori’s ground ball landed him at second after the Captains caught Flores in a run-down. With runners at second and third, the Lake County third baseman committed his second error of the inning, allowing Ole Sheldon to reach first and King to score. Ori moved to third on the error then scored on Eli Iorg’s single to give the Legends a 2-1 edge. 

Lexington busted the game open in the second and never looked back. Jeff Mackor, who was called down from the Salem Avalanche to catch for one game, was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Flores single. Eric King followed with a deep pop foul to advance both runners. Then Manzella smacked his fifth home run of the year to put the Legends up 5-1. 

After the third inning, it was time for the Rocket to land. With a tip of the hat to Drennan and a wave to the crowd, Clemens headed for the dugout. He threw 62 pitches, struck out six and gave up three hits. 

His exit didn’t phase the Legends offense, as the added another run in the bottom of the third. Sheldon led off with a single and hurried to second a passed ball. Then it was Koby Clemens’ turn to shine, as he plated Sheldon with a double down the left-field line. 

The Captains would not go quietly though, as they fought back in the fourth. With Jamie Gant coming on to relieve Clemens, Lake County was able to get the bats going. Mike Conroy doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on Josh Noviskey’s single. Fernando Pacheco pulled the Captains within two as he sent one over the right field wall. 

But that is all the offense the Captains would muster, as Samuel Gervacio came on to pitch for the Legends in the sixth. He shut down Lake County, striking out five in four innings of work. 

The Legends added an insurance run in the eighth, to seal the 7-4 win. After a walk to the younger Clemens, Mackoor doubled to put runners at second and third. Flores singled Clemens home for the final run. 

Gant picked up his second win of the season while Gervacio got his sixth save. The three Lexington pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts in the game. 

With the series tied at one win apiece, the Legends will host the Captains again on Wednesday afternoon. Garrett Murdy will take the mound for Lexington against Lake County’s Tom Cowley. Game time is set for 12:35 p.m.