It took a while. But the Baby Bombers swung to life late in a come from behind 5-2 extra inning victory to cross up the Cutters in the rubber game of the series before 1,594 Thursday night in Williamsport.

The win improved Staten Island to 29-20, vaulting them half a game back in front of Oneonta for the wildcard lead because the Tigers fell at Auburn 8-2 yesterday.

Trailing by a run in the eighth, the Bombers rallied to tie the game against Williamsport reliever Moises Melendez.

Ninth place hitter Matt Morris got it started with a leadoff single to center. The 1-2 punch of Justin Snyder and Taylor Holiday then got on base via a walk and infield hit to suddenly load the bases with nobody out.

Second baseman Damon Sublett’s sacrifice fly to right knotted a game his team once trailed 2-0 after the first two innings. The Bombers had a golden opportunity to go ahead after third baseman Braedyn Pruitt was plunked to reload the bases. However, catcher Jose Gil bounced into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.

After Staten Island middle reliever Nick Chigges tossed his third consecutive scoreless frame doing it in style by getting his final two batters swinging, manager Mike Gillespie called on Jacinto Gonell to get his ballclub into extras. The reliever worked around a one out walk to Tim Kennelly by inducing Caleb Mangum into a 6-4-3 twin killing.

Just as they had done in a wacky road win over Hudson Valley last Sunday, the Bombers used a big 10th to pull it out for their fifth win in the last six.

Morris, who finished with a game high three hits and three runs scored was again the catalyst. The outfielder who shifted from right to left started the inning off with another base hit this time to left which got his teammates steered in the right direction.

After Snyder singled him to third, he came into score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by losing pitcher Rich Austin (1-3). Holiday then reached on an E5 and swiped second for his team-leading 13th base to put runners in scoring position for Sublett, who drove them in with a two-run double for a game best three RBI’s.

Staten Island closer Jonathan Ortiz came on to retire the Crosscutters in order, fanning a couple of batters including Dominic Brown to notch his eighth save.

Williamsport pushed across a run in the first two frames off starter Ryan Pope. A two out Matt Spencer RBI single scored Brown in the home first to give them the lead.

An inning later, they got another key two out hit this time from D’Arby Myers who drove in Mike Taylor with an RBI single to left to increase the lead to 2-0.

But that would be it for the Cutters as Pope settled down to toss three consecutive scoreless going the first five, finishing strong with five of his seven K’s coming in those final three innings.

The Bombers got an unearned run back in the third when Morris scored from second on Williamsport shortstop Phillip Cuevas’ fielding error.

Chigges took over from there tossing three scoreless while whiffing five as the S.I. pen kept the Cutters in check by not allowing a run while giving up just a hit and K-ing seven in the final five frames.

Notes: The game took three hours and eight minutes to play. … In his second relief appearance with Staten Island, Gonell worked a scoreless ninth to pickup his first win. … In a losing effort, Williamsport starter Chance Chapman went the first six giving up just an unearned run on three hits while walking no one and striking out seven. … Brown finished with two of five Cutter hits on the night also scoring a run. Meanwhile, eight of 11 Bombers registered at least a hit. … Sublett concluded the series with four hits along with a gaudy nine knocked in in 10 plate appearances. … Before the All-Star Break, Staten Island will kick off a three-game home set later tonight against Jamestown weather permitting.
Snyder and McAllister Tabbed Penn League All-Stars: The Staten Island Yankees got some more good news as two of their players were officially named Penn League All-Stars yesterday according to the official league site (nypennleague.com).

Versatile utilityman Justin Snyder was tabbed along with staff ace Zach McAllister. Both are well deserving.

Playing four different positions and batting leadoff to spark his team’s offense with a league best on-base percentage (.488) along with the second highest average (.385), the 21 year-old Snyder who is out of San Diego has been brilliant all summer.

Whether the 5-9 190 pound has played as many as three infield positions including third, short and second or a flawless centerfield, he’s never looked out of place.

The multidimensional player is turning heads and probably making a lot of major league scouts regret overlooking him and allowing the Yankees to select him in the 21st round (664th overall) of the First-Year Player Draft a couple of months ago.

With a hit and run scored Thursday night, Snyder is now hitting .385 with five homers, 31 RBI’s, 44 runs and 67 hits. He’s also shown some plate discipline drawing as many walks (33) as strikeouts (33). The speedy player from the West coast also has swiped seven bases, truly putting all his talent on display this summer.

Meanwhile, the 19 year-old McAllister who was drafted by the Yankees last year in the third round has anchored a staff which includes currently DLed Grand Street High native Dellin Betances, who happens to be the youngest player in the league and has gotten much more notoriety due to his local status.

It’s allowed the 6-5 230 pound righty out of Chillicothe Illinois to fly under the radar and pitch effectively in his second pro season. In 2006, he got into 11 games (1 start) with the Gulfcoast Yanks going 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA while allowing as many hits (35) as innings (35.0), walking 12 and striking out 28.

This summer, McAllister has made the adjustment to the Penn League faring well thus far in 10 starts. Though he is only 3-2, his 2.78 ERA ranks just outside the top 10 in the league. In 45 and a third, he’s allowed 40 hits with just one leaving the park while walking 15 and fanning 51.

He’s sometimes worked in and out of trouble due to a fastball which can reach the low  to mid 90’s along with a nasty slider as well as a changeup.

In his most recent outing, he went two perfect innings while fanning four before rain suspended the Bombers’ 10-2 win over the Cutters Thursday.

Both players will represent the Bombers in the third NYPL AS Game next Tuesday night at Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls, New York. Festivities will commence on Monday in Poughkeepsie.