Former Norwell baseball player Josh VanMeter signed with the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.The shortstop, who was drafted in the fifth round with the 148th overall pick, got a $308,000 signing bonus from the Padres.GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – Tyler Stubblefield was called on to bunt.
Game 2 of the Midwest League championship series between Fort Wayne and Wisconsin was tied. The TinCaps had a runner on second with no outs in the fifth inning.
Stubblefield tried to bunt but couldn’t get one down. He found another way to come through. Stubblefield lined a double to left field, bringing home Kyle Gaedele with the go-ahead run in a game the TinCaps won 5-1.
“Unfortunately I missed two great pitches to bunt. I had to do whatever I could to get the job done,” Stubblefield said.
“I don’t think (Wisconsin starter Chad Pierce) meant to throw the ball where he threw it, but fortunately I was able to get some good wood on the baseball and hit a double in the gap and score a run and break out the inning a little bit.”
Stubblefield went 1 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored. His hit gave the TinCaps a 2-1 lead.
“We were lucky that Stubby came through with a big hit,” Fort Wayne manager Jose Valentin said. “But who knows what’s going to happen if he doesn’t get a double for the RBI.”
Stubblefield had an eventful fifth inning.
Shortstop Yadiel Rivera tried to throw him out at third after fielding Mike Gallic’s grounder. Stubblefield would have been out, but Rivera threw wildly.
“It was a bad read that ended up working out,” Stubblefield said.
“I thought the ball was hit more up the middle than it was. I made the read and there was no turning back. He made a bad throw, and I was able to be safe.”
Stubblefield scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Jace Peterson, extending the lead to 3-1.
“Any time we can be up by more than one run going into the later innings, is huge for a team,” Stubblefield said.
The offense did enough to support Colin Rea’s stellar outing and even the series.
“We have a lot more momentum, and I like the pitching matchups we have going,” Stubblefield said. “We have three really good pitchers going the next three days.”
