Heading into Sunday’s game, Orleans’ Steve Passatempo (UMass-Lowell) was hitting .208 with one home run. Across Sunday and Monday’s action, Passatempo proceeded to homer three times in a span of seven at-bats, culminating with a two-homer night in the Firebirds’ 8-2 win over Harwich Monday.
This is the kind of thing that has made Orleans the best team in the Cape League. In becoming the first team in the league to 20 wins – a mark they hit with the victory over Harwich – the Firebirds haven’t leaned two or three stars. They have them, certainly, in guys like Jimmy Herron, Stephen Scott and Ethan Paul. But the lineup seems to get contributions at every spot and the pitching staff goes much deeper than a dominant rotation.
The Firebirds led the league with eight all-star selections, and the success doesn’t stop with that crew.
Seven of the eight runs in Monday’s game were driven in by the bottom of the order. Passatempo went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Brandon Riley (North Carolina) and Kevin Strohschein (Tennessee Tech) each had two hits and two RBI.
After starter Daniel Lynch (Virginia) went 4.2 strong innings, Riley Thompson (Louisville) and Cody Deason (Arizona) combined for 4.1 hitless innings of relief.
Orleans leads the league in team batting average, ERA and fielding percentage, and it seems every Firebird has had a hand in it.
Cotuit 6, Bourne 3
The Braves spent two days in first place, but the Kettleers snapped a five-game losing skid and regained the top spot in the West with a victory over the Braves Monday. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) had a homer and three RBI to lead the Cotuit offense, while Luke Alexander (Mississippi State) also went deep. Griffin Conine (Duke) and Michael Toglia (UCLA) also drove in runs. Noah Davis (UC Santa Barbara) struck out five in four innings and Zane Collins (Wright State) picked up the win in relief. Michael Byrne, who led the nation in saves with national champ Florida, notched his first Cape League save. Cotuit has a one-point edge on Bourne for first place. Falmouth is two points back.
Falmouth 9, Hyannis 3
Joshua Breaux (McLennan CC) continued a scorching July as Falmouth rolled over Hyannis. Breaux went 5-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Since the calendar flipped to July – when he was hitting .174 with one extra-base hit – Breaux has a hit in every game he’s played and is batting .395 with four home runs and nine extra-base hits. Breaux’s big performance Monday helped Falmouth stop a two-game skid. Alec Bohm (Wichita State) went 3-for-5 with two RBI and is now hitting a league-best .385. Logan Davidson (Clemson) also had three hits, while Austin Langworthy (Florida) drove in two runs. Hyannis got home runs from Reece Hampton (Charlotte) and Brendan Donovan (South Alabama) but couldn’t get anything going against the Falmouth bullpen. Zach Leban (Kansas) earned the win and Cole Sands (Florida State) struck out five over the final 2.1 innings to close it out.
What to Watch
Chatham looks for its fourth straight win when it hosts Brewster, who is one point ahead of the Anglers for third place in the East.
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