Leyva’s grand slam lifts Harvey Wilner’s to Daily News League victory

By Mark Kaboly

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013, 10:51 p.m.
Updated 15 hours ago

With the bases loaded, Harvey Wilner's Tavern manager Bob Kostelnik looked down from the third base box at Marlon Leyva and simply said, “Do what you do.”

And what Leyva does is hit home runs … at least that's what he did a lot of at Point Park University during the spring.

However, the power that resulted in seven home runs for the Pioneers really hasn't translated over to the Daily News League quite yet.

That is until now.

Leyva's grand slam — his first home run of the season — highlighted a five-run fourth inning as Harvey Wilner's Tavern (11-4-1) climbed over defending champion Bowser (11-4) and into second place with a 8-3 win over Klingensmith Insurance at Winklevoss.

“I've been waiting all year for that from him,” Kostelnik said. “I have been waiting 16 games for that, and it finally happened. I said let's crack this egg, and there the ball went.”

Leyva provided more than enough offense, especially with Point Park teammate Isaiah Marsh on the mound.

Marsh hadn't pitched in nearly three weeks, but showed little signs of rust. Marsh gave up only a one-out single by Ryan Badzgon in the fourth as he improved to 4-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.59. He struck out three and walked two in five innings and ran his scoreless inning streak to 17.

“He is going back home tomorrow to see his gram who had a stroke, so I am sure that was playing on his mind,” Kostelnik said. “I told him to just give me what you can give me.”

Harvey's didn't manage much more offense than Leyva's grand slam off Klingensmith starter Liam Halferty. Harvey's scored two unearned runs in the first and used a sacrifice fly by Don McDuffee and a ground out by Andy Cornell to account for the rest of the runs.

Anthony DeFilippo tripled and singled for Harvey's, while Badzgon had a pair of hits for the Blue Jays.

“We dug ourselves a pretty good hole,” shortstop and assistant coach Johnny Rende said. “We finally came through with some offense, but we were too deep into that hole to climb out.”

That hole was mostly self-made.

Errors by Rende and Aaron Krull in the first gave Harvey's a quick 2-0 lead.

The score remained like that until the fourth. With one out and runners at first and second, Jon Corcoran hit a bouncer back to Halferty, who decided to try to force DeFilippo at third rather than take the sure out at first.

“I actually thought they were going to go to second on the bunt because Cornell was running and they could've turned two,” Kostelnik said.

McDuffee's ensuing fly ball would've been the third out of the inning rather than a sacrifice fly that made it 3-0. It also kept the inning alive for Leyva to hit the game-altering grand slam.

“Some were yelling one and some were yelling three and we did have him,” Rende said. “It was pretty close and looked like to me that his foot was still in the air. It was tough. You hear one and three and we are down and trying to save a run so those things happen.”

Klingensmith got back into the game in the sixth when the Blue Jays strung together five singles off reliever Cornell that plated three runs.

Cornell would get out of the inning and then set down the side in order in the seventh to give Harvey's the win and Klingensmith a tough loss.

Klingensmith (7-11) is battling Steel Towne Inn (9-8), Carriage Inn (8-9), Clancy's Pub (6-8) and Hot Shots Saloon (6-11-1) for the final three playoff spots.

“Every game is big,” Rende said. “Everything is tight in the standings, especially from the middle to the bottom.”

Mark Kaboly is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at mkaboly@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MarkKaboly_Trib.

Tarentum teen dies in fall from moving truckAmbush kills 7 U.N. peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur regionZolnierczyk gets 2-way deal from PenguinsBeaver Falls lineman Boxen commits to AkronPenn State notebook: QB Ferguson remains home in CaliforniaFrom seeds to suds: Wexford farm grows hops for local craft brewsJeannette police find drugs in home while trying to serve warrant in sex caseMalkin has his priorities in placeMercer’s single wins it in 11th for PiratesWCCC’s Advanced Technology Center to emerge in former Sony plantZimmerman jury deliberates for 2nd daySubscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.

View the original article here