The beat goes on for the American Defenders of New Hampshire, who not only are last in the Can-Am League in attendance (only 932 announced Monday night), but also on the field as well. The Defenders, after a tough 4-3 loss at the hands of Worcester, are now 3-12 over the second half, and 24-38 overall.

At the heart of the matter Monday is the decrease in command of former lights out reliever Adam Piechowski. Piechowski gave up a bases loaded, base-clearing triple to Tornado Lucas Taylor in a four-run Worcester seventh inning. That turned a 2-0 lead into a 4-2 deficit.

“His command’s not as good, he’s not getting as many swings and misses,” Defenders manager Brian Daubach said of Piechowski. “He’s gotten some rest, we were using him quite a bit for awhile, but I don’t think that’s the case any more. He’s not making quality pitches. He’s missing in the zone. His command is not what it was when he first started this season.”

This was a game the Defenders, who have marked this as a huge series as Worcester has jumped out to the early second half lead at 10-4, could have won. They had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth and plated just one run. They muffed a squeeze in the sixth. And they had their ace, Nick Asselin, on the mound, cruising up 2-0  until he gave up three singles in the seventh. Enter Piechowski, who appeared to be the Piechowski of old when he fanned Jeff LaHair for the second out. However, Omar Pena’s infield dribbler loaded ‘em up and Taylor gapped a pitch in right-center.

“Good teams win those games,” Daubach said. “We just need to get a win like that and get on a run.”

The wait continues, and the Defenders are running out of time.”

– TOM KING