A comeback allowed the Staten Island Yankees to post their second straight win over Tri-City last night in upstate New York. The Baby Bombers used a two-run fifth and got the deciding run in the seventh to pull out a 3-2 victory over the Valley Cats Saturday night.

They’ll aim for a sweep later today with first pitch just after 5 P.M. The victory allowed the Bombers (21-16) to keep pace with first place Brooklyn, remaining five games behind.

Trailing by two runs in the fifth, Mike Gillespie’s ballclub scored twice in the frame to square the game at two. Consecutive one out doubles off the bats of Brian Chavez and Justin Snyder sliced the deficit in half and knocked out Tri-City starter Bryan Hallberg.

The S.I. Yanks greeted reliever Brian Esperson rudely. Taylor Holiday beat out a grounder to third for an infield hit to put runners on the corners. Damon Sublett followed with a sharp single to center which scored Snyder to tie it. After Braedyn Pruitt popped out, they nearly went ahead but a streaking Holiday from third couldn’t beat Valley Cat catcher Sal Iacono to home plate and was tagged out to end the inning.

After Staten Island reliever John Axford worked a 1-2-3 sixth, his teammates got him a run to put him in line for the win.

With Snyder on second after a one out double, he was driven in two batters later thanks to a clutch Sublett RBI single to right for his second run knocked in on the night. The second baseman finished with three hits.
It would prove to be enough as Axford tossed two more scoreless innings before giving way to closer Jonathan Ortiz, who struckout the side in the ninth to notch his fifth save.

Axford and Ortiz combined to K the final six Valley Cats, retiring the last eight in order to give Staten Island it’s first two-game win streak since mid-July.

Notes: SP Ryan Zink was ineffective in two innings giving up an earned run while walking four before Craig Heyer worked the next three allowing just one more run. … Axford was impressive in picking up his first win allowing just a hit in three innings while whiffing three. … Tri-City reliever Carlos Ladeuth took the loss to fall to 0-3. … Utility man Snyder continued his brilliant season with three more hits in five at bats including two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. He’s now batting .369 and has played four different positions including shortstop last night. Snyder has also been used at second, third and center.