Woods shuts out Mariners

Due to a slight delay due to the morning game between the Mariners and Bucs, the Belfast Northstars had to wait a little later than expected to extract a measure of revenge against the Greystones Mariners.

Having taken the Belfast scalp earlier in the season, the Mariners were looking to push ahead in the interleague series.

A certain left hander stood in their way.

As he has done time and time again since first suiting up for the Northstars, Melvin Woods was utterly dominant on the hill, shutting down the visitors offence quickly and efficiently from the outset.

Sean McMahon led off in what will be his last game for a while and was quickly driven home by Colin Woods to open the Belfast scoring. After a couple of hit batters to load up the bases, Mike McConville continued his impressive rookie season with a 2-out 2-RBI single to make the score 4-0. They would load the bases again in the second but Greystones would show their mettle and sit down the heart of the Northstars order.

Kevin O'Hare would start the next inning with another hit-by-pitch only to be knocked in by coach Sean Shackley, making the score 5-0. Colin Woods would bring in two more in the next. Melvin Woods would see his no-hit bid broken up by the Mariners bats which refused to be awed by his velocity – unfortunately for the visitors, the Northstars defence isnt too shabby either.

Gord Cuthbert, playing second base on the day showed his savvy and nuance, starting a double steal with Shackley in the fifth and turning a double play himself in the top of the 6th. Not content with that outing, Cuthbert would drive in the last two runs of the game in the bottom of the 6th, giving Melvin Woods his shutout and taking the Belfast Northstars to 10-2 on the year.

Next up for the men in maroon is a trip to Peace Link Park, the new home of the Cavan Comets.