Baseball Recap: Long Branch's Win on Thursday Extends Winning Streak to Three

Long Branch had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over the Asbury Park Bishops. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 18-5 last Tuesday.

Justin Cuevas made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off seven hits. Those eight strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.

In other batting news, Long Branch let Noah Hoogmoed and Havier Gonzalez run wild. Hoogmoed scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3, while Gonzalez scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. Gonzalez is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. David Jules also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.

Long Branch kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Long Branch now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Asbury Park, they are on a 17-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-5.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Long Branch will face off against Monmouth Regional at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. As for Asbury Park, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Keyport at 10:00 a.m. on the 22nd.