Season-high 16 hits gives Birds win over Bloomington Gold

Chester Bird had a season-high 16 hits, getting two hits each from seven of nine starters, en route to a 14-8 win over Bloomington Gold.

The game featured a rare four-inning save by John Kernan, who allowed one unearned run on two hits while walking two and striking out seven.

The Birds opened the game by scoring three times in the top of the first when Joe Melles reached on an error with two out. Gabe MacDonald's single to center moved Melles to third and Marcus Barone followed with a triple off the right field fence and a wild pitch plate pinch runner Dan Labosky.

However, Barone gave up five runs in the bottom of the first and left after just one inning and 45 pitches, giving way to Scott Quinby.

Although Quinby would go on to give up a pair of runs in the fourth inning before exiting himself, he halted the hosts long enough to enable Chester Bird to score six runs in the third inning with Greg Zeman collecting a double and an RBI single to highlight the outburst.

For Quinby, it would be his team-leading fifth win of the season and fourth in relief. After giving up a one-out triple and hitting a batter in the second, he got a double-play ground ball and then worked a six-pitch, 1-2-3 third inning.

After Bloomington closed to within 10-8 with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning, The Birds put the game away with a four-run seventh with three consecutive two-out hits and, after one run scored on an error, Joe Melles drove in two runs with a single and Dan Labosky followed with an RBI single.

Now 3-4 in South Hennepin League play and 11-14 overall, Chester Bird plays its final home game of 2011 by hosting Excelsior in an SHL contest, Wednesday at 6 p.m. at BSM Field.