One of the greatest things about the game of baseball is when it’s not your night, you have the chance in most cases to right the ship the next day. That’s exactly what the Senators will attempt to do in tonight’s Game 5. Flush last night and look to get back on a roll tonight. The Sens have another shot this evening to win a ball game and take their third series in a row. They have just the right guy on the bump to do just that. The Senators hand the ball to Josh Randall who, himself, is looking to get back on track after a tough outing in last Sunday’s finale against Richmond. Randall battled the tough Flying Squirrels lineup for five innings. He was hurt by the long ball and allowed 5 runs on 7 hits, walking 1 and striking out 4. Both of Randall’s tough outings for the Sens have come against Richmond. Randall last pitched against Erie in the last series at FNB Field a little over a month ago. He was tremendous in the outing going 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits, walking 2 and striking out 5. Randall earned the win in the outing and will look for a repeat performance this evening.

Erie will counter with Hayden Minton, who was recently promoted from A+ West Michigan. Tonight marks the second game in a row that the SeaWolves will go with a recently promoted pitcher on the bump. Tonight will be Minton’s 4th outing with the SeaWolves. In three games he’s pitched 10 2/3 innings, allowing 5 runs on 11 hits, walking 6 and striking out 7. His opponents have hit .262 off of him in the three appearances. Minton was the Detroit Tigers 9th Round (260th) pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Game 5. SeaWolves and Senators. The first four games of the series have been very well played and competitive between two good ball clubs. Expect more of the same for Saturday night baseball.

Harrisburg Senators Lineup: 1. Sam Petersen CF 2. Devin Fitz-Gerald 3B 3. Branden Boissiere 1B 4. TJ White DH 5. Sam Brown LF 6. Kervin Pichardo 2B 7. Max Romero Jr C 8. Cortland Lawson SS 9. Johnathan Thomas RF

Erie SeaWolves Lineup: 1. Seth Stephenson CF 2. Peyton Graham SS 3. Justice Bigbie LF 4. Andrew Jenkins 1B 5. Max Burt 3B 6. EJ Exposito DH 7. Patrick Lee RF 8. Viandel Pena 2B 9. Bennett Lee C

Last night’s game was one of those evenings that you’ll have as a season wears on when none of the facets of your game play well. Offensively the Senators mustered up three hits. The Senators were retired 1-2-3 in four of their nine at bats. They only brought more than four batters in an inning to the plate once. They never put pressure on Erie’s pitcher Jake Miller, who is making his way back from injury, in his first start of the season with Erie. As a matter of fact, they made him look unhittable. Kudos to Miller. He was very good on the evening. Erie made the Sens pay for their lack of offense. The lone bright spot for the Senators offense was a 5th inning home run by TJ White, his 3rd of the season.

Sens used an opener, in Jared Simpson to start last night’s game. He worked through a pair of walks and did his job getting through the first inning unscathed. Connor Van Scoyoc was next and struggled to find the strike zone consistently in his 1 1/3 inning. Kyle Luckham battled, as he always does, but didn’t have his best stuff. Credit to Erie, even with some new guys mixed in, they’re an extremely good lineup with dangerous hitters. They tattooed Van Scoyoc and Luckham to the tune of 7 runs on 9 hits and the pair walked five batters. The top of Erie’s line up was a combined 6-12 with 4 runs scored, 4 RBIs and 3 walks. That is a tremendous night of production. Former Senator Viandel Pena also had a good night going 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Erie got timely hitting and was 5-17 with runners in scoring position. Erie would go onto defeat the Senators 7-1.

The Senators and SeaWolves will play Game 6 and the finale of their series Sunday afternoon at 1:35 PM. We have a pitching rematch from Game 1 of the series in tomorrow’s finale. LHP Alex Clemmey gets the ball for the Sens. He will be opposed by RHP Max Alba. Both pictures pitched extremely well in the game but Clemmey got the better of Alba in the outing.

In the hole… All Star Break. After Sunday afternoon’s game, Senators players will head home for a few days during the MLB All Star Break. The season will resume on Friday, July 17th when the New Hampshire Fisher Cats come to town for a rare three game set. Friday night’s first pitch is scheduled for 7 PM from FNB Field.