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Torrington, which entered the night two and a half games out of a playoff spot, improves to 10-17, while Danbury, a team the Twisters are chasing, falls to 11-15.
"This was a good win for us, especially since they are ahead of us in the standings," said Hourigan, who struck out six and allowed just five hits. "Tonight, I used a different approach in the beginning and used more off-speed pitches to try to get them out early in the count. It worked and I was able to save myself for the end."
The victory marked the second straight for Torrington, the team’s first multiple win streak since the first week of the season.
"It’s only a modest one, but it’s good to be on this side of the ledger," Twisters manager Gregg Hunt said.
Torrington took a 1-0 lead in the second when Nick DeVito blasted his first home run of the season off Danbury starter Ben Brockman, an opposite field shot over the short porch in right field.
In the fifth, the Twisters gave Hourigan (3-2) some breathing room.
With one out, Torrington put runners on first and third when Anthony Norman walked and Eli Iorg reached on a throwing error by Brockman.
Jeff Natale hit an RBI groundout to third to make the score 2-0 and McFeely followed with his second hit of the game, an RBI single to left-center that gave Torrington a 3-0 cushion.
"I’m seeing the ball real well right now," said McFeely, who entered the game with a .278 average, good for third on the team. "Earlier in the season, I was just looking at fastballs and getting behind in the count.
Now, I’m swinging at that pitch and being more aggressive, which has really helped.
Hourigan, meanwhile, was cruising through the Westerener lineup. Only one runner, Fred Popp in the second inning, reached third base for Danbury.
"Hourigan was outstanding tonight," Hunt said. "Every time he need a big pitch, he made it."
Torrington added a bizarre insurance run in the eighth.
After Natale singled and McFeely doubled to start the frame, Matt Oxendine hit a slow roller to third and McFeely broke towards third, while Natale stayed put. Danbury third baseman Reed Eastley threw to the second baseman Mike DeVeaux in an attempt to get McFeely and Natale broke for home. Eastley’s throw to the plate was wild and the Twisters had a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Hourigan ended his night in style, with a blazing fastball that caught Sean O’Brien looking.
"The last pitch was as hard as I could throw," Hourigan said. "I knew if I hit my spot he couldn’t hit it."
