Nashua third baseman Hunter Troiano looks as throw goes by the base into the outfield, allowingWorcester's Chris Mondesir to score during Wednesday night's FCBL game at Historic Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Nothing comes easy for the Nashua Silver Knights, right?

So it should have been no surprise to the few loyal fans left at Historic Holman Stadium on Wednesday night that with the game close to four hours old Nashua manager Nick Guarino would have to summon one more reliever with a Worcester run in, the bases loaded, and the potential winning run coming to the plate.

But whatever tests you makes you stronger, and Nashua’s fifth reliever of the night, Jameson Dobis, fanned the Bravehearts’ Jake Yang to complete an 11-8 win, one the Silver Knights and Guarino badly needed.

“Nothing’s easy in baseball,” Guarino said. “Winning isn’t easy. But even with a four run game there and the bases are loaded, a lot of things would have to happen to blow the game … Must win game tonight, honestly.”

Yes it was, putting the Knights, now 20-20, stayed in third ahead of both Worcester and Norwich (19-22), right now a three-team race for two playoff spots with Lowell peaking in from the outside.

It’s going to come down to pitching and bullpens, and the Knights were on the right side of all that for a change. Down 2-0 they stormed back to take a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the first keyed by home runs by Connor Smith (6) and Mason Campagna. However, Worcester, which got two homers from Hunter St.Denis, grabbed a 6-5 lead in the top of the fourth, the go ahead run scoring when speedster Chris Mondesir caught the infield napping, stealing third after just stealing second and seeing the throw go into the outfield.

But Nashua has an offense this year, enough to take advantage of porous relief pitching, and got four runs in the bottom half for a 9-6 lead the Knights would not relinquish. The entire fourth took some 50 minutes, Nashua getting two bases loaded walks for gift runs, and Phoenix Williams getting a big RBI hit. He would later have to leave the game with what Guarino said was a hip flexor.

Nashua tacked on two runs in the fifth on a Smith sac fly and Peter Keblinsky’s RBI hit. Nashua, which was outhit 10-8, took advantage of 10 walks issued by Worcester pitching.

“Their bullpen is just as interesting as everyone else’s,” said Guarino, noting the pitching shortage in the league now as college coaches shut many of their arms down. “It’s the Futures League in July right now, everyone’s trying to piece things together with the arms and figure it all out.”

Silver Knights’ Mike Villani steals second as Worcester’s Jake Yang grabs a wide throw during Wednesday night’s FCBL game at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

In all, a combined 12 players took the mound in this game. Michael Cobb allowed an unearned run in two middle innings to get the win for Nashua.

“He gave us two good innings, that one run unearned, had a clean inning,” Guarino said, his team starting Ty Lohsen (1-0, 3.60) tonight at New Britain. “We’ve seen guys like that in the league. … If you can throw two pitches for strikes, you’re good.”

Nashua would like to look back a month from now and say it’s good, which in a lot of ways it is. But one thing the Knights are not is boring.