When you look at recent history, it’s easy to forget that the Hyannis franchise owns the league record for single-season wins. In 1979, the then-Mets set that record with 33 wins. That team also won the Cape League championship for the second year in a row.
Since then, sustained success has been hard to come by. Hyannis won one more championship in 1991 but hasn’t won again. The team hasn’t even been to the finals again since 2000. It hasn’t been to the playoffs in six years. And its 2005 team lost 36 games, a league record it didn’t want to hold.
Last night, the 2011 Harbor Hawks officially started their own page in the history books.
With an 11-2 victory over Orleans — its eighth a row — Hyannis clinched the West regular-season title and the top seed for the playoffs.
Not long after the game went final, the Hyannis web site already had a “2011 West Division Champs” graphic taking center stage. You can understand the excitement. It’s been a special season and it’s gotten even better in the last week or so.
In its eight-game win streak, Hyannis has out-scored its opponents 46-12. The streak is also the longest by any team in the league this season.
And it couldn’t have come at a better time. Bourne got hot two weeks ago and actually moved into a tie with Hyannis on July 17. The next time it took the field, on July 19, Hyannis started its streak.
Last night’s win may have been the most impressive of all. Orleans came into the game on a seven-game winning streak of its own, but the Firebirds were no match for Hyannis on this night.
The Harbor Hawks exploded for seven runs in the second inning and got a strong start by Dean McArdle (Stanford) to win going away.
Five players had multi-hit games, led by Joey Rickard (Arizona), Chadd Krist (Cal), Kevin Plawecki (Purdue) and Dan Gulbransen (Jacksonville). All those players also knocked in two runs each. Plawecki hit his first home run.
McArdle did the rest, allowing two runs on just two hits in seven innings. Zach Cooper (Central Michigan) and Nick Wittgren (Purdue) finished off the win.
With five games left after the all-star break, it’s going to be fun to see how hot the Harbor Hawks can stay. Even if they win out, they won’t break that old league record for wins. But they’ll certainly be adding to their own legend.
Elsewhere
With Orleans loss, Harwich seized an opportunity and jumped into sole possession of first place in the East with a 1-0 victory over Falmouth. The Mariners were under the radar a bit while Hyannis and Orleans heated up, but the Mariners have now won three in a row. Six pitchers got it done last night, combining to allow just four hits. Jake Davies (Georgia Tech), a key hitter in the lineup, pitched for the first time all summer, getting the start and going four innings. Lex Rutledge (Samford) was credited with the win in relief. Harwich got its only offense in the seventh on a solo home run by Luke Voit (Missouri State).
Wareham clinched a playoff spot in the West with a 2-1 victory over Cotuit, leaving just one playoff spot up for grabs. Cotuit and Falmouth will fight it out for that one. For Wareham, two runs in the first inning proved to be enough. Robert Refsnyder (Arizona) and Johnny Field (Arizona) knocked in those runs. Starter Steve Perakslis (Maine) went four scoreless innings and Dillon Newman (Baylor) pitched two more on his way to the win. Cotuit scored a run in the seventh, but C.T. Bradford (Mississippi State) came in and struck out two to get out of a jam. Bradford, making just his second appearance, ended up striking out five in two innings. Konner Wade (Arizona) got the save.
Brewster snapped a three-game skid with a 6-1 victory over Chatham. Taylor Ard (Washington State) hit a three-run homer while Andrew Toles (Tennessee) went 3-for-4 to lead the offense. Brandon Love (Mercer) allowed one run on three hits in six innings to pick up his fourth win, which ties him for the league lead. Richie Shaffer (Clemson) led Chatham with three hits, including his fifth home run.
Y-D had won four in a row, but Bourne cooled the Red Sox off with a 4-2 victory. After Y-D took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth, the Braves answered with two in the bottom half. Tommy Coyle (North Carolina) had an RBI triple and then scored on a sac fly by D.J. Hicks (Central Florida). On the mound, reliever R.C. Orlan (North Carolina) made his first start and went four innings without allowing a hit. Ryan Connolly (Coastal Carolina) got the win with 3.2 innings of relief. R.J. Alvarez (Florida Atlantic) picked up the save. In a losing effort, Y-D starter Mark Appel (Stanford) delivered the most impressive strikeout performance of the summer, finishing with 12 in just six innings.
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Will, I just noticed Devon Marrero is not in the All Star game lineups on the web site and has been replaced by Tommy Coyle on the roster? Eric Stamets from Hyannis is now starting.
Yeah, I saw that on the Cape League’s twitter. They said Marrero “will not be able to participate.” Not sure what the deal is.
I know the last game he played on 7/24 he got hit by a pitch on the wrist against Chatham and came out of the game, he then missed the next 3 games? So that would be my guess that his wrist is not allowing him to play. I have noticed Mike Zunino hasn’t played for YD in over a week, and wasn’t with the team when I saw them play the Braves Wed night. I wonder what happened to him? Have you heard anything?
Thought you might like to know that WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station, will broadcast the Cape Cod League All-Star Game live from Fenway Park, and fans outside of the Cape listening area can hear it live on capeandislands.org. Details below.
WCAI to broadcast Cape Cod League All-Star Game from Fenway July 29
Jerry Trupiano to do play-by-play
For the fifth consecutive year WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station, will broadcast the annual Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game live from Fenway Park. This year’s game is on Friday, July 29 at 7pm and will feature play-by-play with Jerry Trupiano, former radio voice of the Boston Red Sox and current weekend talk show host on 98.5 the Sports Hub. Joining Trupiano to provide color will be Cape League Director of Broadcasting John Garner, who has announced the last eight All-Star Games. Between innings the broadcast will feature WCAI radio host Steve Junker conducting on-field interviews with some of the players.
“The Cape League is one of the most respected amateur leagues in the country, and WCAI is proud to be part of this summer tradition, bringing the game to listeners on the radio and on the web,” said John Voci, WCAI station manager. The WCAI coverage of the game can be heard on 90.1FM and streamed live on capeandislands.org.
For more information about the Cape Cod Baseball League, please visit http://v2.capecodbaseball.org/about/welcome/.
About WCAI
The Cape and Islands NPR stations, WCAI 90.1, WNAN 91.1, and WZAI 94.3 are listener-supported public radio stations serving Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and the South Coast. Founded by local residents, the stations are a service of WGBH Radio.
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