RedWolves drop second-half opener to Petersburg

FLORENCE — After the best first-half start in team history, the Florence RedWolves looked to keep their momentum going Tuesday night when they welcomed Petersburg to Legion Field for the team’s second half opener.

The contest had a little bit of everything. But controversy eventually dominated the night as the Generals held off Florence 6-5.

The loss was the RedWolves’ third straight at Legion Field after winning their first 12 home games.

With the RedWolves (20-8 overall, 0-1 second half) trailing in the ninth inning, Herman Petzold reached on an error by Matt Williams. After Barrett Kleinknecht lined out to third, controversy drove the team and its fans to the boiling point.

Alec Lowery hit a slow roller down the third base line. The Florence first baseman appeared to be safe by a step but was called out, the last of several questionable calls that went in the Generals’ favor during the evening.

RedWolves coach Wes Davis came out to argue the call and was immediately ejected, his first of the season. Dan Wood then struck out Myckie Lugbauer to end the threat and the game.

Leading 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Petersburg (10-19, 1-1) increased its lead with a four-run outburst. Mark Tracy ripped an Andre Benjamin pitch to deep center for an RBI double and a 2-0 lead.

Chas Anthony stepped to the plate and belted a 1-0 fastball deep into the trees in left for his fourth home run, a three runs shot to make it 5-0.

Benjamin (3-1) allowed five runs, all earned, on six hits in four innings in the loss. The southpaw fanned two batters and walked two.

The Generals added to theirlead in the top of the fifth with assistance from Florence’s defense. With two outsL.A. Owens induced an inning-ending comebacker to the mound from Eric Curtis.

Owens, however, skidded his throw past Lowery at first. Randy Bernosky raced around from second to score on the Dillon native’s first error of the season to make it 6-0.

Frustration set in for the RedWolves in the bottom of the frame. Florence looked to get something, anything, going off Chris Nelson (1-3) as it had two men on base with one out.

Nelson, however, forced a popout from Bruce Cameron and a flyout to left center from Andrew Guerra to end the threat with no runs allowed.

Florence finally broke through off Nelson in the sixth. Kleinknecht drove in Jamie Walczak with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 6-1. One batter later, Cody Stinger raked an RBI single to right to chase Nelson from the contest and slice the Petersburg advantage to 6-2.

Matt Edwards was inserted into the game, and was greeted by an RBI single from Blake Walker that cut the deficit to 6-3.

Florence put more dents into the Generals’ lead off the bullpen in the eighth. After Lugbauer led off the frame with a double off Heath Wasylow, Stinger launched an RBI double to cut the deficit to 6-4. Walker followed with an RBI single to shave the Petersburg advantage to one at 6-5.