MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Gabriel Sanchez belted a two-run, bases-loaded double off the left field fence in the top of the eighth inning as Barry's Red team came from behind to beat Black, 7-5, in Game 1 of the Best-of-5 intra-squad series at Feinbloom Field Monday night.
Game 2 is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Feinbloom. Joeanthony Rivera will start for Red. Nick Alfonso will take the hill for the Black.
"It creates a season-like atmosphere," said Buccaneers head coach Marc Pavao, Team Red's skipper. "This is not just an intra-squad. The games mean something."
Red tied the game at 5-5 on Adrian English's RBI single through the left side in the seventh. Two runs scored on the play after the ball skirted into the shallow outfield grass.
Black overcame a 3-0 deficit, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth on Sheehan Planas-Arteaga's RBI double, Zac Burger's RBI single and Sam Halpern's fielder's choice RBI. Planas-Arteaga drove in Michael Slabach, who walked and stoled second, in the fifth to give Black a 5-3 lead.
Joe Iorio had a two-run single in the second, and Sanchez's sacrifice fly put Red ahead three runs.
"The kids compete," Pavao said. "We compete."
Burger went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBI, Planas-Arteaga was 2 for 4 with two RBI, and Jay Bellot was 2 for 4 for Black.
English collected two hits and an RBI in five plate appearances, and Iorio was 2 for 3 with an RBI for Red.
Adrian Benitez worked two innings, allowing a hit, a walk and no runs while fanning three to take the win in relief. Rene Estrada suffered the loss in relief. Iorio worked the final inning, allowing a hit and a run, and struck out two to earn the save.
Red starter Calvin Rayburn went four innings, allowing four runs, one earned, and fanned four. Black starter Tyler Petsch went four innings, giving up three runs, two earned, and four hits.
RED 030 020 02 - 7 8 3
BLACK 004 010 00 - 5 7 4
WP - Adrian Benitez (1-0)
LP - Rene Estrada (0-1)
S - Joe Iorio (1)
HR - Zac Burger (1)