Miller pitches Miller Place past Rocky Point

BY GREGG SARRA | gregg.sarra@newsday.com

May 8, 2008

Suffolk High School League VI Baseball Game between Miller Place and Rocky Point

Miller Place starting pitcher Thor Miller throws against Rocky Point. (Newsday/Joseph D. Sullivan / May 8, 2008)

There is a comfort level each time lefthander Thor Miller takes the mound for Miller Place. The hard-throwing junior has been unbeatable this season. Wednesday was no different, as the Panthers were in a must-win situation to have any chance at winning the Suffolk League VI baseball title.

Miller scattered six hits and struck out six as Miller Place upended Rocky Point, 7-3, in a pivotal League VI game. Miller, who started to tire, gutted out the final inning and punctuated his sixth straight win by striking out the final two batters.

"He's been terrific," Miller Place coach Ira Kohansov said. "He's pitched fantastic all season. He was at his pitch count and getting a bit tired but finished it off."

Miller, who has an earned run average of 0.88, improved to 6-0. His performance enabled Miller Place (10-4, 13-4) to climb within one game of second-place Rocky Point (11-3, 14-4). Harborfields (13-2) is in first-place.

"We had a disappointing loss on Monday at Rocky Point and we needed to bounce back," Kohansov said. "These are big games with very big playoff and seeding implications."

Trailing 2-1, Miller Place scored three times in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. The hot hitting Tyler DeRosa, who reached base in all four of his plate appearances, doubled and scored on James Kelleher's sacrifice fly to tie the score. Matt Dunn singled and Dean Haussel broke the tie with a long, two-out, two-run home run to leftfield. Haussel went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Miller Place added three runs in the fifth inning for a 7-2 lead. With the bases loaded, Kelleher was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Dunn followed by drilling a two-out, ground rule double to right-centerfield.

"It was a 3-2 curveball that stayed out over the plate," said Dunn, who went 2-for-3. "This was a real big win for us."

Miller allowed one earned run and two hits through the first five innings but needed some defensive help to escape a sixth-inning jam. Rocky Point's Phil Rado led off the sixth with a solo homer and the Eagles loaded the bases with one out. But Peter Craig grounded to third base, where Craig Lotito fielded the one-hopper and threw home for the force play. Miller struck out Ryan McAllister to end the threat.

"Miller did a great job as usual," Kohansov said. "We expect that from him."