The Vermont Lake Monsters retained their half-game lead over the Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn League's Stedler Division after the two split a doubleheader Monday night at Centennial Field.

Connecticut (34-33) won the opener 4-3 in the completion of a suspended game from June 25, but Vermont (35-33) bounced back to win the second game 4-0.

The two teams won't play again in the final week of the regular season. Connecticut returns home today to began a seven-game homestand to end the season. The Tigers play the first of three games against the Hudson Valley Renegades at 7 tonight, then play the Lowell Spinners four times over three days, including a Friday night doubleheader at Dodd Stadium.

In the opener Monday, Connecticut led 2-0 when the game was resumed in the top of the fifth inning, but Vermont scored twice in the bottom of the inning to tie the game and grabbed a 3-2 lead in the sixth on Chad Oberacker's RBI single.

In the eighth, however, P.J. Polk singled to lead things off for the Tigers and two outs later Dean Green hit a two-run homer to right, his seventh of the season and the first allowed by Vermont's all-star reliever Jeff Urlaub this season.

Fernando Celis and Jeff Barfield combined for four shutout innings to preserve the win, with Barfield picking up his third save.

In the second game, Seth Frankoff pitched a one-hitter, retiring the final 17 Tiger hitters after a bunt single by Jeff Holm, and Nick Rickles hit a two-run homer.

- Day Staff Reports