It seems like every year around the Fourth of July, I title a Daily Fog post “Fireworks.” I can’t help myself on such things. And the Cape League always seems to cooperate anyway.
Last night might have offered the best fireworks yet.
Brewster scored a 2012 league-high 19 runs in demolishing Harwich (!) 19-1, while Bourne’s Colin Moran hit two home runs and drove in seven runs to lead the Braves over Wareham 11-6.
If I had picked a team to produce some fireworks in the Brewster-Harwich match-up, I would have picked the Mariners, even with Brewster’s win the night before. But Whitecaps pitchers Austin Voth (Washington), Eric Rutter (Rice), Jake McCasland (New Mexico), Erik Schoenrock (Memphis) and Dylan Davis (Oregon State) limited the Mariners to just one hit, a single by Phillip Ervin (Samford) in the sixth inning. Voth, the starter, didn’t allow a hit in five innings, while striking out six. Harwich scratched a run across off him thanks to a walk, two JaCoby Jones (LSU) stolen bases, and an RBI groundout. But other than that, the Mariners were held completely in check. For a second straight night, they didn’t hit a home run.
The Brewster offense, on the other hand, had the best night any Cape League team has had this summer. They finished with 22 hits, six of which went for extra bases. They led 5-1 in the seventh inning, when they broke the game wide open with 11 runs. Every player in the starting lineup had a hit and a run scored, and six players had multi-hit games. Ryon Healy (Oregon) had a second straight big night, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Trevor Mitsui (Washington) went 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Jason Monda (Washington State) and Jeff McNeil (Long Beach State) also went 3-for-5. Derek Campbell had a double, a triple and three RBI.
The Whitecaps have now scored 27 runs in their last two games, since getting shut-out by Orleans on Sunday. Before these two games, the Whitecaps had scored 67 runs for the season.
Mr. Firework
Maybe I should take this fireworks thing to a new level and give out a Fourth of July Award.
Moran would be the inaugural winner.
In helping Bourne snap a four-game losing streak, Moran led the way with probably the best individual offensive performance of the season. The North Carolina star had been hitting well this season but hadn’t shown a lot of pop, with only four extra-base hits through his first 15 games. Last night alone, he had three extra-base hits, as he blasted two home runs and a double on his way to a seven RBI night. He’s now hitting .333 with three home runs and 15 RBI for the season. His grand slam in the eighth blew the game open.
Chase McDonald (East Carolina) also had a big game for the Braves, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Jack Reinheimer (East Carolina) added three hits and an RBI, while Justin Leeson (Georgetown) had three hits and two runs scored.
On the mound for the Braves, Kent State standout Tyler Skulina made his first start and scattered nine hits in five innings, while allowing three runs. He struck out three.
Elsewhere
What to Watch
Y-D’s Aaron Blair (Marshall), who’s been the league’s best starting pitcher, will make his fourth start of the summer in a 7 p.m. game at Wareham.
Orleans and Harwich will renew their rivalry with a 7 p.m. game at Whitehouse Field. Austin Kubitza (Rice) will go for Orleans against Harwich’s A.J. Reed (Kentucky), the same pitching match-up as last Thursday’s game between the teams, which Harwich won.
Hey…went to the Falmouth/Cotuit game yesterday, thought I’d add a couple notes.
First, a very sloppy game for Falmouth, who made 5 errors all told. Two on the SS, on on the first basemen, and a couple on the outfielders. Falmouth’s catcher Rodriguez had a nice game for the Commodores, throwing out a potential base stealer and making a real nice block of the plate on an outfield assist. He also homered to start out the 9th inning rally – a straight bomb to dead center. Mike Ford, who was playing first for Cotuit, had three hits on his birthday.
Good stuff. Thanks.