Three-run homer sinks Bucks against North Fork Ospreys

In a game that relied heavily on strong pitching, a three-run home run ended up being the difference when the Shelter Island Bucks traveled to Cochran Park in Peconic on Sunday night to take on the North Fork Ospreys.

Osprey’s left fielder Jim Pjura hit the homer in the third inning that put the Osprey’s up 3-0 on their way to a 4-2 victory.

Bucks’ starter Frank Trimarco of Monmouth University had a solid outing making only mistake —Pjura’s bomb. Trimarco, who has emerged as possibly the Buck’s best pitcher at the start of the season, pitched four innings, allowing just the three runs.

The Bucks’ bats were kept quiet for most of the night except for two innings. In the fourth, Bucks’ designated hitter Jimmy Jack of Loyola Marymount University hit a home run to put the Bucks on the board. In the following inning, Bucks’ catcher Joe Burns of St. John’s University hit a fielder’s choice scoring centerfielder Cody Howard of the University of Nevada Las Vegas and pulling the Bucks within one run of the Ospreys. But Howard would be the last Buck to cross the plate.

Osprey reliever David Deliz pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just three Bucks to reach base.

The Ospreys picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth after their leadoff hitter Ryan Burns hit a double to right field driving in catcher Tyler Bethune. Alert play by the Bucks caught an Ospreys’ runner in a rundown between third and home.

Following the game, Bucks Coach Johnny Hernandez felt his club would have had a better night if they threw a few more strikes. Just by looking at the game’s box score that may be hard to believe, since the Osprey’s drew very few walks, but Hernandez believed the lack of strikes hurt his team in another way.

“We didn’t throw strikes today,” Hernandez said. “If you don’t throw strikes you fall behind and you tend to give up hits.”

Hernandez also placed emphasis on Pjura’s home run. “They hit the three run home run so that was big for them,” he said.

Hernandez isn’t worried about his team after the loss. “We’ll bounce back tomorrow,” he said. “We fight every inning. Early in the game we had runners on (but) we just couldn’t get it done. They fight all the way through so you can’t complain about that.”

The Bucks are back in action Monday night on the road at 5 p.m. against the Westhampton Aviators. They return home to Shelter Island on Tuesday night to take on the Southampton Breakers at 5 p.m. at Fiske Field.