The Vermont Lake Monsters lost a back and forth contest against the Hudson Valley Renegades in extra innings last night, when Hudson Valley's Carl Chester legged out an infield walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth for a 6-5 win.
The Lake Monsters trailed 2-1 heading into the ninth when they scored four times, capped off by a two-run double by Logan Farrar and took what looked like a safe three-run lead into the bottom of the frame.
But the Renegades rallied for three of their own to tie the game at five on a three-run homer by the Tampa Bay Ray's 2017 first round draft pick Brendan McKay, setting up Chester's walk-off in the 10th. The Monsters still hold a one and a half game lead in the Stedler division as they return home to Burlington to take on the Batavia Muckdogs tonight.
The Boston Red Sox were idle last night, and they're on the road tonight taking on the Tampa Bay Rays, hoping to increase their three game lead over the Yankees for first place in the A.L. east with ace Chris Sale on the mound. Sale is coming of an unusually poor outing in which he gave up seven runs in a no-decision against Cleveland, a game the Sox won in wild fashion on a Christian Vazquez walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.
The NY Yankees rested as well, and will take on the Blue Jays in Toronto tonight, the Jays also being off yesterday, and the NY Mets had a restful Monday as well, getting back to action tonight hosting the Texas Rangers at Citi Field.
Sad to note the passing of one of major league baseball's best power hitters and a respected gentleman of the game. Don Baylor has died at the age of 68 after a battle with cancer. Baylor was named the American League's most valuable player in 1979, and was a former all-star who also holds the record for being hit by a pitch more than any player in history. He played for 14 different teams over his stellar career, including the Boston Red Sox in the 1980s, when he was part of that 1986 team that came within a strike of winning the World Series. Baylor hit 31 homers for the Sox that year, serving primarily as the team's designated hitter. Baylor was a big man who covered a lot of the plate, which is partly why he was hit so many times. He was also beloved by fans and players alike for his affable personality off the field and veteran leadership on it.
Holly Reynolds is once again leading the field in the Vermont women's amateur golf tournament at the country club of Barre. I say once again because Reynolds has been here before, an eight-time champion of the tournament, which is a record. She leads by six strokes heading into the second round of play today, weather permitting, after shooting a one over par 72 on Monday. Andrea Brown of Alburg is currently in second place after shooting a first round 78.
For a second consecutive year if you're looking for the fittest man on earth, you need look no further than Colchester, Vermont. That's the hometown of Matt Fraser, who blew away the field in the annual CrossFit Games held yesterday in Madison, Wisconsin. It's a competition Fraser won last year and he was crowned champion again, this time setting a record, collecting 1,132 of a possible 1,300 points and besting the second place finisher by more than 200 points. Tia-Clair Toomey of Australia won the women’s event with 984 points, while Vermonter Dani Horan placed 20th with 518 points.
The rivalry between New Hampshire and Vermont just got racier. No, not like that. NH Gov. Chris Sununu tweeted a challenge to fellow GOP Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont Monday, "rumor on the street is that you race cars." Sununu recently did some drag racing of mini school buses on Saturday and losing in the final, Sununu then asked if Scott was up for a race. Scott is a stock car racer, and tweeted back "You're on, GovChrisSununu."
Sununu raced in a charity event Saturday at the New England Dragway. Scott has won three track championships at Thunder Road, in Barre,and has been racing 27 years. There was no immediate word on where or when the governors will race, but, without being too provincially homerish here, edge: Phil Scott.
