Jul. 15—Coming into Friday night’s game knowing it would be his final start of the summer, Johnstown Mill Rats pitcher Dan Merkel said he wanted to go out on a high note.
The Wagner University right-hander tossed 62/3 innings and allowed just one earned run, as the Mill Rats used a fast start to defeat the Burlington Bees 8-3 at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point.
“I definitely wanted the last one to be good,” Merkel said. “(Mill Rats catcher Matt) Kenney is one of my teammates at school, and he knows how my pitches move and my pitches have good life. We did our jobs as a battery tonight and so did my defense behind me.”
After allowing a run in the top of the first, Merkel was able to work his way into the seventh inning by scattering five hits and striking out three.
Merkel allowed two more runs in the fourth inning, but both were unearned after an error in the infield.
He walked two batters and struck out three before being removed with two outs in the seventh due to hitting the pitch count limit.
“One thing we really wanted to do tonight was execute the inside fastball,” Merkel said. “I was able to do that pretty effectively. I think I broke three bats throwing that pitch tonight.
“I was able to get a lot of groundballs and make the outs easy for my teammates.”
Daniel Morgano relieved Merkel and threw 21/3 hitless innings of relief.
Morgano got out of a two-out jam in the seventh by striking out Mason Schwalbach with two runners in scoring position.
“Both of those guys’ performances were huge tonight,” Mill Rats manager Tyler Sullivan said. “It’s really a shame that (Merkel) is done. He threw well for us all summer. They both were effective tonight, plus we were able to save bullpen arms, which is very helpful as well.”
Offensively, Johnstown answered Burlington’s tally in the first by scoring five times in the bottom half.
After the Mill Rats loaded the bases with one out via a walk and two singles, Tyler Quade brought in a run with an infield single. Matt Santarelli followed by hitting a grand slam over the screen in left field, which was Johnstown’s second in as many games.
“I’ve honestly been pulling off a lot of fastballs lately, and I was trying to use the middle of the field,” said Santarelli, who was a late addition to the Mill Rats roster after spending a full season in Johnstown in 2022.
“I got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it. Getting runs in the first inning was big because we said about how we wanted to get a fast start like (Thursday) night. I’m glad I was able to do my part and help us get the win.”
Tyson Bryant-Dawson increased Johnstown’s lead to 6-1 in the third with an RBI double. The Mill Rats rounded out the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with two insurance runs coming home on a groundout and a balk by Bees pitcher Jaden Siemer.
Bryant-Dawson, Quade and Austin Baal each tallied two hits for Johns-town, which compiled 10 knocks as a team. Santarelli scored two runs.
After falling 15 times in a 16-game stretch, the Mill Rats have now won two in a row to improve their record to 15-23 overall and 3-6 in the second half.
Johnstown begins a road trip in Chillicothe on Saturday night.
“The last two games were definitely an improvement over the last two weeks,” Sullivan said. “We didn’t beat ourselves. We played fundamental baseball, which is what I’ve been trying to push on these guys all season.
“We have a tough road trip coming up and need to stay on this path to get more wins.”