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Lighting Up Hyannis

Jeff Hoffman, pictured last year, was dominant in his third start this year.

 
Jeff Hoffman won’t have the kind of season Sean Manaea had last year. He was a late arrival, so he won’t be on the same innings pace, and he had a tough outing in his last start that shot his ERA through the roof.

But Hoffman is getting plenty of love and for one night, he wowed fans and scouts at McKeon Park just like his former Hyannis teammate did last summer.

The East Carolina righty turned in the most dominant pitching performance of the Cape summer last night, striking out 11 and giving up just three hits in 7.2 scoreless innings as Hyannis beat Orleans 3-0. He walked one and needed just 90 pitches to get into the eighth.

Hoffman is no stranger to summer success. He was quietly solid in the shadow of Manaea last summer, finishing with a 2.40 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 30 innings. And the quiet turned very loud when he lit up radar guns at the All-Star Game. Baseball America rated him the Cape League’s seventh-best prospect.

After a pretty good spring at East Carolina, he returned to Hyannis and made his 2013 debut on July 4. He struck out eight in six innings that night.

His next start looked like a classic in the making – his power vs. the power bats in the Falmouth lineup. It didn’t pan out. Hoffman was chased in the fourth inning and then Hyannis came back to win.

But on Wednesday, Hoffman was firmly back on track. He struck out the side in the second and third innings, tossed a four-pitch inning in the sixth and struck out the first two batters in the eighth. According to Perfect Game’s Frankie Piliere, Hoffman’s fastball reached 98 and consistently sat between 94 and 97. Piliere calls Hoffman a new candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft.

With Hoffman’s performance in the books, Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) sealed the victory for the Hawks with 1.1 scoreless innings. He has now made nine appearances without allowing a run.

Orleans starter Josh Sborz (Virginia) did his best to match Hoffman, striking out eight in five innings, but the Hyannis offense did enough to get control. Skyler Ewing (Rice) went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Dominic Jose (Stanford) drove in the other run.

 

Bourne 11, Wareham 3

In the only other game of the night, the Braves had 15 hits, only three more than Wareham, but scored eight more runs in an easy victory. Every player in the Bourne lineup had a hit. Mark Laird (LSU), who made his Cape League debut last week, had his best game yet, going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Jeff Gardner (Louisville) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also drove in two. Kris Gardner (Wichita State) got the start for the Braves and gave up a run in four innings. Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) got the win in relief. Cole Sturgeon (Louisville) led Wareham with three hits.

 

What to Watch

Division leaders Cotuit and Chatham will square off at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field. Evan Beal (South Carolina), who tossed six shutout innings against Falmouth in his last start, goes for the Kettleers. Andrew McGee (Monmouth), who had his first bad outing of the summer last time after a terrific beginning, is slated to go for Chatham.
 

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The Real Kettleers

Yale Rosen slides in safely for Cotuit during a game this week.

 
You could make a pretty good team out of players who have left Cotuit this summer. From Max Schrock, Will Remillard, Aramis Garcia and Brad Zimmer to Trevor Seidenberger and Dusty Isaacs, you’d be in good shape.

The latest loss is the biggest. Mike Ford arrived for his second summer in Cotuit coming off a draft in which he didn’t hear his name called despite a spring that will go down in Ivy League annals. Ford’s goal was to hook on with a Major League team – and he’s done it. He is expected to sign with the New York Yankees this week.

Ford, who was fresh off a 4-for-4, two home run day, was an MVP candidate. He could make the all-departed Kettleers squad a Cape League contender.

But I have a feeling the real Kettleers would still find a way.

On the day they said farewell to Ford, Cotuit beat Bourne 2-1 and took a three-point lead on Hyannis for first place in the West. The Kettleers – despite all the personnel losses, and despite having had 41 different players don their uniform – have the second-best record in the league.

On Tuesday, they got another strong pitching performance from Jared Walsh (Georgia), who continues to lead the league in ERA at 0.36. The only caveat is that Walsh hasn’t pitched deep into games – he doesn’t have a win or a loss – but he’s been so steady that he’s often set Cotuit on a path to victory.

He went 4.1 scoreless innings against the Braves, striking out three and allowing just one hit. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) allowed his first run of the year in relief but kept Cotuit in front and picked up the victory. Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) turned in his third-straight two-inning stint and picked up the save.

Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) was strong in six innings of work for the Braves, but two unearned runs made the difference. Danny Diekroeger (Stanford) led the Cotuit offense with two hits, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Jake Fincher (NC State) had one RBI each.

Cotuit would have loved to have Mike Ford adding a home run to the victory or any of the former Kettleers chipping in. That’s not going to happen, but it sure looks like the Kettleers will be making the best of it anyway.

 

Harwich 3, Chatham 0

Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) turned in his third scoreless start of the summer and his bullpen finished the job as the Mariners (16-13) knocked off first-place Chatham (9-9-1). Shepherd had gone six shutout innings twice before, and this one may have out-done the first two. He struck out eight and gave up just three hits against a Chatham team that’s been the best in the league. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State) worked two scoreless innings in relief before Chris Oliver (Arkansas) struck out the side around a walk in the ninth for the save. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) had two hits and an RBI to lead the Mariner attack. Derek Fisher (Virginia) and Branden Cogswell (Virginia) drove in the other runs. Harwich has won three straight.

 

Orleans 6, Hyannis 5

The Firebirds had dropped five in a row and – with Brewster hot on their heels – they were in danger of falling into the East basement. They stopped the streak and avoided that drop in the most dramatic fashion possible. With his team trailing 5-4 and Hyannis closer Eric Eck (Wofford) on the mound, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) drove in the tying and winning runs with a base hit as Orleans walked off with a 6-5 victory over a Hyannis team that generally doesn’t lose close games. The Firebirds had also rallied for two runs in the eighth after Hyannis had gone up 4-2. The rally made a winner out of Brian Clark (Kent State), who went three innings and actually gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State) had four hits to lead the Firebirds, who had said goodbye to an injured Greg Allen (San Diego State) earlier in the day. For Hyannis, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) and Skyler Ewing (Rice) both hit their fourth home runs of the season. Ewing went 4-for-5 and now ranks third in the league in hitting.

 

Falmouth 5, Y-D 1

The Commodores had gone 1-4 in their last five, with the only win coming against Y-D. They matched up with Y-D again Tuesday and used a four-run seventh to pick up another victory, snapping a two-game skid. They’re now 16-12, a point back of Hyannis for second in the West. Troy Stein (Texas A&M) went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI to lead Falmouth. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) drove in one run each. On the mound, John Means (West Virginia) went six innings without allowing an earned run. He struck out three. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) got the victory.

 

Brewster 5, Wareham 1

The Whitecaps (11-17) won for the fifth time in seven tries and remained two points out of fourth in the East. Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) was dominant for a second-straight start, allowing just an unearned run on three hits in five innings. He now has a 1.59 ERA and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last two starts. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) went 1-for-3 with three RBI to pace the offense, while Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) and Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) also drove in runs. For Wareham, Sean Newcomb (Hartford) was a bright spot. The big lefty – who started on opening night then missed a big chunk of time with illness – had his best performance since returning. He struck out five in three innings of relief.

 

What to Watch

Just two games on the schedule today. Orleans visits Hyannis and Wareham heads to Bourne. Both are 6 p.m. starts. In Hyannis, Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his third start of the summer.

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Right Where They Belong

Fred Shepard, pictured in last year's league championship series, dominated for Wareham last night.

 
Monday featured a host of good pitching performances in the Cape League. They were authored by the usual suspects from UCLA and Texas, but also by guys from Maine and Amherst.

Tommy Lawrence (Maine) tossed six shutout innings for Chatham in a 4-2 victory over Brewster, while Fred Shepard (Amherst) went seven scoreless for Wareham in a 5-0 win over Falmouth.

For both, it wasn’t the first time they’ve proven themselves on the Cape League’s stage.

Lawrence, who’s part of a long line of Maine Black Bears to don a Chatham uniform, had a 3.55 ERA last summer in a swing role for the Anglers. He struck out 35 in 38 innings.

This spring, Lawrence built on the solid summer by going 11-3 with a 2.32 ERA for Maine. He was unanimously selected as the America East Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Lawrence was welcomed back to Chatham this year and is having an even better time on his second go-round. Lawrence gave up two runs in his first appearance but hasn’t given up another since. He now owns a 1.03 ERA.

On Monday, he made his second start and was dominant. He struck out five and gave up just four hits. Brewster tried a rally after Lawrence had departed but could get no closer than two runs. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and Connor Joe (San Diego) led the offense with one RBI each. It was Chatham’s fourth straight win.

In Falmouth, Shepard had a similar night. He struck out five and scattered six hits in seven innings against Falmouth’s powerful lineup. The win was his first of the year. Matt Walsh (Franklin Pierce) drove in two runs to lead the Wareham offense.

Shepard has had even more to prove than a guy like Lawrence. Amherst is a Division III program, and Shepard was coming off a tough sophomore year when he hooked on with the Gatemen on a temporary contract last summer. He ended up providing some valuable innings and started the decisive game of the league championship series, which Wareham went on to win.

Not surprisingly, with that playoff performance on their minds, the Gatemen brought Shepard back this summer when they had some holes to fill on their roster. He’s responded with a solid campaign and he now ranks third in the league in strikeouts.

It’s a success story for sure, and the same could be said for Lawrence. You’ll see a lot of hot radar guns on the Cape, and arms that get first-round love. But sometimes it’s just as fun to see a couple of small-school pitchers proving that they belong too.

 

Harwich 5, Cotuit 0

Harwich got a terrific performance from Dillon Peters (Texas) and shut out Cotuit 6-0. Peters, who had a great spring in Austin, gave up three runs in his first Cape start last week. This time, Peters gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out five. Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished off the shutout. The Harwich offense was led by Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston), who went 3-for-4. Mitch Morales (Florida Atlantic) drove in two runs.

 

Hyannis 3, Bourne 3

Hyannis and Bourne played 12 innings before the league curfew kicked in and they settled for a 3-3 tie. Skyler Ewing (Rice) went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks while Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) had two hits and an RBI. Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) knocked in two runs and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) drove in one for Bourne. A host of pitchers turned in solid relief performances, none more impressive than Jordan Foley (Central Michigan). He recorded nine outs – eight by strikeout.

 

Y-D 4, Orleans 3

On a day when the Red Sox lost ace Erick Fedde to Team USA (he could return after Team USA is done) and outfielder Eric Filia to an injury, they picked up a win to ease some of the sting, holding off an Orleans charge for a 4-3 victory. James Kaprielian (UCLA) didn’t factor in the decision but was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 in six innings. He allowed one run on four hits. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) led the offense with a home run and two RBI. Kyle Wood (Purdue) also drove in a run. For Orleans, Ross Kivett (Kansas State), a 10th round pick this year who opted not to sign, went 4-for-5 with an RBI. He owns a 10-game hitting streak.

 

What to Watch

The top two teams get together at Whitehouse Field when Harwich hosts Chatham at 7 p.m. Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky), who’s been terrific this summer, goes for Harwich. Andrew Chin (Boston College), coming off his first tough outing of the year, starts for Chatham.
 

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Quality Time

Gunnar Heidt makes a play for Harwich in a game earlier this summer. The Mariners rallied Sunday, making a winner out of Aaron Bummer.

 
Fifty-six pitchers in the Cape Cod Baseball League have more strikeouts than Harwich’s Aaron Bummer (Nebraska).

One starting pitcher has a better ERA, and nobody has more wins.

Who needs strikeouts?

Bummer improved to 4-1 on Sunday with his fifth quality start of the summer, giving up just a run in six innings as Harwich shut down Falmouth’s powerful lineup for an 8-3 victory. A late Mariner rally made a winner out of Bummer.

It was another terrific performance from Bummer, who’s been the league’s most consistent pitcher. He opened the season with six shutout innings and then went seven scoreless in his next start. He gave up two earned runs in his next start and took the loss, but has gotten right back on track. He went six shutout innings in his last start before picking up the victory Sunday. Bummer is now 4-1 with a 0.84 ERA.

I’ve often wondered if the Quality Start statistic – at least six innings, no more than three runs – should be adapted for the Cape League, where even the best pitchers often don’t work deep into games. It doesn’t need to be changed for Bummer. He’s had five real quality starts in five tries.

On Sunday, Bummer didn’t strike out a batter but didn’t need to. He scattered five hits and gave up just the one earned run (Falmouth did score two unearned runs). Bummer needed only 88 pitches to get through six innings.

Even with all that, Bummer was on the verge of taking a hard-luck loss. Harwich trailed 3-0 but scored seven runs in the seventh inning to turn the game completely around. Branden Cogswell (Virginia) and Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) each drove in two runs for the Mariners, while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) and Ben Moore (Alabama) had three hits apiece.

Sean Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) and Mason McCullough (North Carolina) finished off the victory for Harwich.

And Bummer put another win in the books.

 

Chatham 8, Y-D 5

The Anglers won for the third straight time, running their league-best record to 18-8-1, and it was yet another different route to a victory. Starter Andrew Chin (Boston College) gave up five runs in two innings, but in the meantime, Chatham scored seven runs of its own in the first two innings. After that, the bullpen dominated and kept Chatham in control. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech), Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) surrendered just three hits over the final seven innings. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) led the offense with two hits and four RBI. Connor Joe (San Diego) went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

 

Cotuit 5, Wareham 3

The Kettleers (17-10) also won their third straight and now have a four-point cushion atop the West. Cotuit scored four runs in the first inning and held off a late push by the Gatemen for the victory. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) had a double, a triple and two RBI, while Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Drew Jackson (Stanford) knocked in one run apiece. Patrick Corbett (Coastal Carolina) got the win in relief of Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina). Corbett struck out four in 3.1 innings. For Wareham, Brett Pirtle (Mississippi State) had three hits.

 

Bourne 5, Hyannis 2

Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) pitched six strong innings as the Braves won a rain-shortened game that lasted six innings. Kellogg struck out six, didn’t walk a batter and gave up one earned run on four hits. Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) drove in two runs, while Mason Robbins (Southern Miss), Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) and Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara) brought in one each. Hyannis (15-9), which has lost two in a row, got two hits from Steve Wilkerson (Clemson).

 

Brewster 11, Orleans 3

On the strength of a blowout win, the Whitecaps (10-16) are suddenly two points back of Orleans (11-15) for fourth place in the East. Brewster pounded out 17 hits. Scott Heineman (Oregon) went 5-for-5 with three runs scored at the top of the Brewster lineup. Nick Lynch (UC Davis) hit a home run, while Austin Bailey (San Diego), Chris Mariscal (Fresno State), and Trevor Mitsui (Washington State) knocked in two runs each. Orleans finished with 12 hits but managed just the three runs. Brewster starter Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) gave up two earned runs in five innings to pick up the win.

 

What to Watch

A couple of strong-armed Austins will square off in Bourne. Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) gets the ball for the Braves, with Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara) starting for Hyannis.

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Ford Tough

Mike Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and is now hitting .420 on the summer.

 
In a Cape Cod TimesQ&A this week, Cotuit’s Mike Ford (Princeton) said his goals for this summer were two-fold. He wants to make the Cape League All-Star team and he’d like to hook on as a free agent with a Major League club.

Both are looking well within reach, especially after last night.

Ford was already in the midst of an MVP-type campaign, and even if he had turned in a solid but unspectacular second half, he would have been one of the better performers in the league. Last night, he went the spectacular route. Ford went 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI in leading Cotuit past Hyannis 5-0.

Ford is steadily turning into one of the best stories on the Cape. He held his own last summer, then returned to school at Princeton and turned in one of the best baseball seasons the Ivy League’s ever seen when he earned league Pitcher and Player of the Year honors.

And then he didn’t get drafted. Major League teams have their reasons – Ford isn’t big and doesn’t have a clear position destination – but, after this summer, you would think someone would take a chance on the bat.

Ford is now hitting .420, best in the league, and his five home runs are tied for the league lead. His 18 RBI rank third. He also leads the league with a .510 OBP, and his triple-slash line is .420/.510/.691.

He knocked in all five of Cotuit’s runs last night, while Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) added two hits. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) turned in five shutout innings, reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) worked two scoreless to keep his ERA at 0.00, and Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) finished out the game with two quick frames.

Cotuit now owns a 3-1 record against rival Hyannis, and Saturday’s win gives them the most points in the West Division.

The Kettleers have had a lot of roster turnover and a lot of different players than they expected to have. But with Mike Ford in the mix, they may just keep finding a way to win.

 

Falmouth 5, Y-D 0

The Commodores have had some rough pitching performances in July, but last night’s wasn’t one of them. Brandon Magallones (Northwestern) turned in seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball as Falmouth (15-9) blanked Y-D. Magallones had given up three runs on seven hits in his last start but was untouchable this time, taking a no-hitter into the fifth. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) and Zech Lemond (Rice) finished off the shutout inning with an inning each. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) homered to lead the offense, while Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State), Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) had two hits each.

 

Brewster 3, Harwich 0

Rain wreaked havoc on the other three games, with Bourne-Wareham getting postponed and two other games getting shortened. Brewster beat Harwich in six innings, as Dylan Toscano (Stony Brook) tossed a shutout with two strikeouts, and that goes into the book as the league’s first one-pitcher shutout of the summer. The Whitecaps got all the offense they needed from a first-inning, three-run double by David Armendariz (Cal Poly). Harwich starter A.J. Reed (Kentucky) pitched shutout ball the rest of the way, but his team didn’t get a shot at a late-innings comeback.

 

Chatham 2, Orleans 1

The Anglers scored two in the top of the seventh, Orleans couldn’t answer in the bottom half and the game was called after that, giving the Anglers their league-leading 17th victory. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit a solo home run to tie the game in the seventh before Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) singled and eventually came around with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Chad Sobotka (SC Upstate) then pitched a scoreless frame before the rain had its say. Matt Gage (Siena) got the win for Chatham with six strong innings. He struck out seven. Bobby Poyner (Florida) was the hard-luck loser for Orleans.

 

What to Watch

A pair of Pepperdine Waves will square off against each other in Brewster at 5 p.m. Corey Miller, a 16th-round pick who just announced he’ll be returning to school, will go for the Firebirds. Aaron Brown, who was drafted in the 30th round as a draft-eligible sophomore, will start for Brewster.

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The Long Way

Jaron Long moved to 4-0 with another impressive start on Friday.

 
When I was choosing the midseason awards winners, I shied away from Bourne’s Jaron Long (Ohio State) for Outstanding Pitcher because he was off the innings and appearances pace of the league’s best. He’d made three starts, while others had made five.

It’s too bad the midway point didn’t come a few days later, because Long might have been the best pick.

The rising senior righty improved to 4-0 on Friday with his fourth dominant start of the summer. He gave up two hits in six shutout innings and struck out five as Bourne topped Harwich 3-2.

Long now leads the league in wins with four and ERA with a 0.41 mark. He has struck out 20 and walked only two all season. He’s given up just 14 hits in 22 innings of work – and just one extra-base hit. In three of his four outings, he’s allowed no runs. And three of his wins have come against Hyannis, Chatham and Harwich, three of the league’s best teams.

Long is in his second summer with Bourne. He was solid last year, with a 3.26 ERA.

The other thing about last year? He was 3-0. Together with the 4-0 start this year, that means Long has not taken a loss in his Cape League career.

Bourne has given up enough run support every time out this season, even when it was just one run in a shutout of Chatham in his first start. On Friday, the Braves got two hits and an RBI from Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State), plus two RBI from Vinny Siena (UConn). Once Long departed, Harwich touched up Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) for two runs, but Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) came on for the final two innings and put the game away. English struck out two in two scoreless frames.

That made a winner of Long – again. Is it too late to change my pick?

 

Cotuit 5, Falmouth 1

The Kettleers (15-10) orchestrated an impressive first-inning turnaround on their way to a victory over the Commodores (14-9). Falmouth loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning, but Cotuit starter Evan Beal (South Carolina) struck out the side to end the inning. And it was not an easy side to strike out – Beal went through Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State), Dylan Davis (Oregon State) and Kevin Cron (TCU), who have combined for 12 home runs this year. After that, the Kettleers surged themselves, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first and never looking back. Mike Ford (Princeton), Drew Jackson (Stanford) and Jake Fincher (NC State) drove in first-inning runs, part of big nights for all of them. Jackson and Fincher had two hits each while Ford had three and took over the league lead in hitting at .390. On the mound, Beal continued to dominate after his first-inning magic act, going six shutout innings with five strikeouts. Eric Karch (Pepperdine) picked up a three-inning save.

 

Hyannis 3, Orleans 2

The Harbor Hawks (15-7) won a one-run game for the eighth time this season, breaking a tie with a run in the sixth and then slamming the door for the win over Orleans (11-13). Chase Griffin (Georgia Southern) homered while Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Jay Baum (Clemson) each knocked in a run. Griffin’s home run gave the Harbor Hawks the lead in the sixth and they finished strong from there. Mike Gunn (Arkansas) pitched a scoreless frame and Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) worked one-third of an inning before giving way to closer Eric Eck (Wofford). Eck got out of a first-and-third jam with strikeouts of Orleans power hitters Chris Marconcini (Duke) and Zach Fish (Oklahoma State). He then worked around two hits in the ninth to finish the job for his league-leading seventh save.

 

Chatham 4, Brewster 1

The Anglers (16-8-1) snapped a two-game skid with a 4-1 victory over the Whitecaps (8-16), who had won two in a row themselves. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro) was just the stopper the Anglers needed, striking out four and giving up just a run on three hits in six innings of work. Schiraldi is now 2-1 and has turned in four straight impressive starts. David Speer (Columbia), who has hooked on with Chatham after getting released by Bourne, worked two scoreless frames in his first Anglers appearance. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) picked up the save. Connor Joe (San Diego) went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and knocked in a run. Dante Flores (USC) also had two hits. For Brewster, Nicholas Vazquez (Pittsburgh) had two hits. Justin Kamplain (Alabama) struck out nine in five innings and now leads the league in K’s, but he took the loss.

 

Y-D 2, Wareham 1

After a combined seven scoreless innings, Y-D (12-12-1) broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the top of the 10th on its way to a 2-1 victory over the Gatemen (5-20). Taylor Smart (Tennessee) walked to start the 10th and took second on a wild pitch. Mississippi State standout Jonathan Holder entered the game for the Gatemen at that point, but the Red Sox continued the rally anyway. Alex Blandino (Stanford) singled to push Smart to third, and Taylor White (UNLV) brought him home with a base hit. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) then pitched a scoreless bottom half to seal the victory. Neither starter factored into the decision but both were solid – Clay Smith (St. Louis) allowed one run in eight innings for Y-D. Tucker Simpson (Florida) gave up one run in seven innings for Wareham.

 

What to Watch

Hyannis and Cotuit continue the Barnstable Patriot Cup series with a 5 p.m. match-up at Lowell Park. The Kettleers are 2-1 in the series so far, but the Harbor Hawks have a better overall record at 15-7. Cotuit is 15-10. Patrick Andrews (Clemson), who’s 2-0 with a 2.64 ERA, starts for Hyannis. Cotuit’s starter is TBA.
 

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Mad Max

Max Pentecost went 5-for-5 with two home runs for the Bourne Braves last night.

 
Around 9:30 last night, I was cruising the Cape Cod Baseball League box scores from the evening, trying to get an idea of what I might write about today. I saw that Max Pentecost was having a big night, but his Bourne Braves were losing at the time. I didn’t check again.

Late into the night, Pentecost’s big performance turned huge.

The rising junior at Kennesaw State went 5-for-5 with two home runs, including a two-run bomb that broke a tie game in the 12th and sent the Braves on their way to an 8-6 victory over Orleans.

Every once in a while, you get a masterful performance in the Cape League, and without a doubt, this was one of them.

Pentecost came in hitting .329 with three home runs, already a solid line. He’s been getting some love lately as potentially the top catching prospect on the Cape.

After Wednesday, you can drop the catching tag from that and just call him one of the best.

Pentecost reached base all seven times, adding a walk and a hit-by-pitch to his 5-for-5 night.

And the five hits weren’t just any five hits. He hit a solo home run in the third to put the Braves ahead 2-1. In the fifth, he singled as part of a three-run rally. In the seventh, with his team trailing 6-5 and two outs, Pentecost singled to bring in the tying run.

Apparently, he was just setting the stage for even more heroics.

After three scoreless innings, Pentecost waited in the on-deck circle with two outs in the 12th and watched as Mason Robbins (Southern Miss) worked a walk. That gave Pentecost a chance and he didn’t waste it, smashing a home run over the fence in left to give the Braves the lead.

Pentecost’s teammate Justin McCalvin loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th but wiggled out with a game-ending double-play.

That secured a marathon win – and hero status for Pentecost.

The Georgia native was a potential early-round pick out of high school but he had to have Tommy John surgery. He still only fell to the seventh round, but headed to Kennesaw State. After being named the seventh-best prospect in the NECBL last summer, he hit three home runs this spring.

Now he’s officially one of the best on the Cape. Thanks to his big night, he ranks second in the league in hitting, is tied for the lead in home runs and sits third in RBI.

And he owns the 2013 Cape League season’s most memorable performance.

 

Hyannis 10, Falmouth 8

Falmouth’s big bats touched up top pitching prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) for eight runs in 3.2 innings, but it was Hoffman’s Harbor Hawks who got the last laugh. Hyannis rallied for 10 runs over the final five innings to win 10-8 and grab sole possession of first place in the West with a 15-7 record. Falmouth slipped to 14-9. The comeback started with three runs in the fifth and continued with six in the sixth. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) led the charge with three hits and two RBI, while Jay Baum (Clemson) and Dominic Jose (Stanford) also knocked in two runs each. Andrew Istler (Duke) stopped the bleeding after Hoffman’s rough outing and got the win. Jay Shaw (Alabama) and Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) finished it off. For Falmouth, Kevin Newman (Arizona) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had three hits each.

 

Y-D 6, Chatham 4

Chatham ace Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had his first bad start of the summer and Y-D (11-12-1) took advantage, knocking off the first-place Anglers (15-8-1). Brandon Downes (Virginia) hit his first home run for the Red Sox, Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) had three hits and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) drove in two runs. Daniel Savas (Illinois State), who went seven shutout innings in his last start, gave up three earned in 5.2 innings for the win. He struck out seven. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked three scoreless innings with four strikeouts for the save. Chatham got a home run from Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) and two hits from Dante Flores (USC).

 

Brewster 6, Cotuit 5

The Whitecaps (8-15) won for the second straight time and the fifth time in seven games, as they knocked off Cotuit (14-10). Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) delivered three strong innings of relief for the win and Brad Schreiber (Purdue) got the save. Kyle Overstreet (Alabama) homered for the Whitecaps, while Scott Heineman (Oregon) had three hits and stole two bases. Mike Ford (Princeton) went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead Cotuit.

 

Harwich 8, Wareham 3

The Mariners (13-11) stopped a two-game skid with a victory over the Gatemen (5-19). Harwich broke open a 3-2 game with five runs in the seventh. Derek Fisher (Virginia) led the big offensive night, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. He’s atop the batting average leaderboard at .397. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits and two RBI. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) turned in six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out four for the win.

 

What to Watch

Just two games on the schedule tonight, but it could be a fun one in Bourne. The Braves host Falmouth at 6 p.m., with ace Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the hill – and we saw what Falmouth can do to a top starter last night. With Pentecost now in the mix, the game also features the league’s top five home run hitters.

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Saving the Day

Cotuit's Brian Miller picked up his third save on a night in which every winning team got a save.

 
Tuesday featured a night of close games in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Three one-run games, one two-run game and – the largest margin – one three-run game.

It was a good night to be a closer.

The league’s best were on display, with Eric Eck (Wofford) picking up his league-best sixth save for Hyannis, Matt Troupe (Arizona) getting his fifth for Orleans and Cotuit’s Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) and Brewster’s Brad Schreiber (Purdue) each picking up their third.

While Eck has been the saves leader for a week or so, Troupe has been the most dominant. He struck out one in a quick 15-pitch ninth inning last night as Orleans shut out Harwich 3-0.

Interestingly, for a team that doesn’t have terrific pitching numbers – Orleans has the league’s fifth-best ERA – it was the fourth shutout of the season for the Firebirds.

It helps to have Troupe. He’s pitched at the back end of each of those shutouts, accounting for four of his five saves. And when he’s come in, the shutouts are not in doubt.

Troupe has allowed no earned runs this season and just one unearned. In 8.1 innings, he has struck out 16, walked four and allowed just three hits. Opponents are hitting .111 against him.

As a freshman in 2012, Troupe had six saves in Arizona’s College World Series championship season. He then pitched briefly for Orleans last summer and saved nine more games this spring for the Wildcats.

This summer, he wasted no time establishing himself as the closer – despite being in a bullpen full of closers. Troupe struck out the side in his first two appearances. He has cruised from there.

The Firebirds, meanwhile, have been up-and-down, with a perfectly even 11-11 record. Last night, they got a dominant performance from Trent Szkutnik (Michigan), who went six shutout innings five days after pitching the first leg of another shutout. Chris Marconcini (Duke) drove in a run to lead the offense. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) pitched a scoreless inning each.

And as usual, Troupe finished it all off.

 

Hyannis 4, Chatham 3

The save by Eck came in an impressive victory for Hyannis (14-7), who held off a first-place Chatham team that had won five straight overall and two straight games on walk-offs. The Anglers fell to 15-7-1. Austin Slater (Stanford) and Jake Hernandez (USC) led the Hyannis offense with an RBI apiece. Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Steve Wilkerson (Clemson) had two hits each. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) picked up the win with five strikeouts in five strong innings. Chatham got two runs off reliever Mike Gunn (Arkansas) to put another rally in play, but Hyannis slammed the door. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke), who’s emerging as one of the best setup men in the league, struck out two in two scoreless frames before Eck worked around a two-out single to pitch a scoreless ninth. For Chatham, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and two RBI.

 

Brewster 1, Y-D 0

Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) went seven shutout innings as the Whitecaps (7-15) edged Y-D 1-0. Liebrandt, who starred for the Seminoles this spring, had made one relief appearance and one short start this summer. He broke out in a big way Tuesday, allowing just four hits and striking out three while pitching seven full. Evan Rutter (Rice) and Schreiber finished off the shutout. Brewster got just enough offense to back Leibrandt and company, with Austin Bailey (San Diego) delivering an RBI single in the third inning. Y-D ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) gave up just the one run in four innings but took the loss. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had two hits for the Red Sox, who dropped to 10-12-1.

 

Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

The Gatemen got one of their best pitching performances of the season but ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) allowed two runs on four hits in eight innings but those two runs were enough for a Cotuit victory. Yale Rosen (Washington State) delivered both runs with a third-inning single, and the Kettleers got a strong pitching performance of their own. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who gave up four runs in his last start, was back on track, surrendering just an unearned run in six innings. Reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) turned in his sixth zero-earned run start of the summer before Miller came on for the save. Cotuit remains in a three-way tie with Falmouth and Hyannis for first place in the West.

 

Falmouth 5, Bourne 3

The Commodores (14-8) won for the third straight time, using a big third inning to beat Bourne (9-13). Surprisingly, Falmouth did not hit any home runs, but had enough offense anyway. Troy Stein (Texas A&M), who’s been kind of an unsung hero behind the team’s power bats, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Dylan Davis (Oregon State) also knocked in runs. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) each had a double. John Means (West Virginia) was solid on the mound, striking out three and giving up two runs in six innings. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) struck out four in two innings and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out the side in the ninth for his first save. Bourne got a big night from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 3-for-4 with his third home run.

 

What to Watch

Great match-up in Falmouth. Top prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his second start of the summer for Hyannis, and it will come against the league’s most powerful team in the Commodores. Trey Teakell (TCU), who’s been Falmouth’s best starter, will oppose Hoffman. The teams are tied for first place in the West.
 

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Power Surge

Dylan Davis and his Falmouth teammates have hit 13 home runs in the last six games.

 
In 2012, the year of the home run in the Cape Cod Baseball League, the Falmouth Commodores were a middle-of-the-road power-hitting team, well off the pace of the Harwich’s and Wareham’s of the world.

Apparently, the power was just going to be a year late.

The Commodores have flashed power potential throughout the 2013 season, and in the last week, they’ve exploded. They hit three home runs last night in a 9-1 thrashing of Brewster that ran their record to 13-8.

Nearly all of the power has been provided by the team’s big four – Rhys Hoskins, Casey Gillaspie, Kevin Cron and recent arrival Dylan Davis. They are the league’s top four home run hitters. Davis has five, while the other three each have four homers.

And get this – the 17 home runs totaled by those four alone are more than the home run totals of any team in the league.

It’s been quite a surge. Thirteen of the 17 have come in the last six games. Hoskins (Sacramento State), who’s been among the league leaders for most of the year, has hit one in that stretch. Gillaspie (Wichita State) has started heating up and has hit two. Cron (TCU), a former third-round pick out of high school who had a rough spring, has caught fire and hit four in the last five games.

And then there’s Davis. The rising junior at Oregon State played briefly with Brewster last summer but has been a huge pick-up for Falmouth, easily the best late arrival of the summer. Davis hit two home runs in his second game of the summer, one the next day and one more the day after that. He took a break for one game, then hit his fifth home run in the win over Brewster last night.

Five home runs in six games is a rare Cape League feat, even with the year of the home run taken into account. Home run king Tyler Horan had six in six games at one point last year, but no one else did that – or did what Davis has done. Even Cape League MVP Phil Ervin didn’t have a stretch like that.

Obviously, all the power has been a great thing for the Commodores, who have won four of five after a pretty good hot streak before that. In addition to the homers against Brewster, they had hits from nearly every spot in the lineup. On the mound, Kevin McKanna (Rice) made his first start and gave up just a run in five innings for the win. Kevin Mooney (Maryland) and Garrett Cleavinger (Oregon) sealed the deal.

If the Commodores keep getting solid pitching and keep getting guys on base for their big hitters, look out.

Because the power surge may not be over.

 

Wareham 12, Hyannis 7

The Gatemen didn’t show quite as much pop as Falmouth, but theirs was more welcomed. Mired in a season of offensive struggles, Wareham delivered its best game of the season in a matinee at McKeon Park, winning the slugfest to improve to 5-17. Hyannis dropped to 13-7. Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) went 3-for-4 with three RBI while Will Schwanke (Arkansas) had two hits and three RBI to lead the way. Brett Pirtle (Mississippi State) and Ethan Gross (Memphis) added three hits apiece. Tino Lipson (UC Davis), who had missed about two weeks of action, went 2-for-5 in his second game back. Wareham did a lot of the damage against Hyannis starter Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara), who had been lights out in previous outings. On the mound for the Gatemen, Ryan Riga (Ohio State) got the win in relief.

 

Chatham 3, Y-D 2

Chatham is consistently finding ways to win – and win a lot. The Anglers stretched their win streak to five and ran their league-best record to 15-6-1 with their second straight walk-off victory. After falling behind 2-0 in the sixth, they immediately tied it. Then in the ninth, Dante Flores (USC) doubled home Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) with the winning run. The late heroics were part of a 3-for-5 night for Flores, who took over the league lead in hitting at .386. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) added two hits while Michael Russell (North Carolina) drove in both of the sixth-inning runs. Dominic Moreno (Texas Tech) picked up the win. James Kaprielian (UCLA) made his first start for Y-D and was impressive, striking out seven in five shutout innings, but the Anglers got to the Y-D bullpen.

 

Cotuit 6, Harwich 2

The Kettleers (13-9) kept pace with Falmouth thanks to a victory over Harwich (12-10). The Coastal Carolina tag team of Ben Smith and Patrick Corbett was at it again, with each of them going four innings and striking out four. Corbett got the win. Mike Ford (Princeton) hit his third home run of the summer, while Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Drew Jackson (Stanford) each hit their first. Yale Rosen (Washington State) and Nolan Clark (Concordia) had two hits each. Ian Happ (Cincinnati) went 3-for-4 to lead Harwich.

 

Orleans 7, Bourne 1

The Firebirds (10-11) roughed up Bourne standout Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic) for seven runs in three innings and handed the Braves (9-12) their third straight loss. Corey Miller (Pepperdine) went five scoreless innings for Orleans. Ross Kivett (Kansas State) hit a grand slam in the second inning to power the offense, while Riley Moore (Arizona) had three hits and two RBI. For Bourne, Clint Freeman (East Tennessee State) was a big bright spot, going 5-for-5 at the plate. Two relievers – Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) and Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) – also pitched well, with Lindgren striking out four in two innings in his first appearance and English striking out five in just two innings.

 

What to Watch

East leading Chatham will host West tri-leader Hyannis at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field. Aaron Garza (Houston), who’s been solid all summer, goes for Chatham against Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist).

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Closing Time

Eric Eck picked up his league-leading fifth save on Sunday.

 
When a team wins a lot of close games, there’s an element of good fortune at play.

But it also helps to have a great closer – and the Hyannis Harbor Hawks have that taken care of.

Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up his league-leading fifth save last night as the Harbor Hawks knocked off Cotuit 5-2. With the win, Hyannis moved into sole possession of first place in the West, with a 13-6 record. Cotuit, which had won the first two games of the Barnstable Patriot Cup series, dropped to 12-9.

Patrick Andrews (Clemson) got the win with seven strong innings. Jordan Foley (Central Michigan) pitched a scoreless inning before Eck closed it out. Jay Baum (Clemson) and Austin Slater (Stanford) each drove in two runs.

The three-run win was another in a long-line of close wins for the Harbor Hawks. In their 13 wins, the largest margin was four runs, and that happened once. They’ve won three three-run games, three two-run games and an amazing six one-run games.

Eck has handled the back end of a lot of those games. And he’s done it very well.

Eck has pitched in eight games this summer, and Hyannis has won each of those. He owns two victories to go with the five saves and he has a 1.68 ERA. He’s given up four hits in 10.2 innings.

The 6’4 righty is no stranger to summer success. He starred in the New York Collegiate Baseball League last year, earning top prospect honors from Baseball America. When his season ended, he made a brief stop in Hyannis, pitching in three games late in the season.

Eck struck out seven in seven innings during his stay in Hyannis last summer, and that set the tone for this year. He had 10 saves for Wofford this spring and is well on his way to a similar number this summer.

With their propensity for narrow margins, the Harbor Hawks are happy to have him.

 

Chatham 4, Brewster 3

Chatham (14-6-1) stayed hot, winning its fourth straight in dramatic fashion. With the score knotted at 3-3 in the bottom of the 10th, Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) hit a walk-off single to score Blake Butera (Boston College), who had opened the inning with a base hit. It was Chatham’s third walk-off win of the season. Butera led the offense, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Lassiter also had two RBI. On the mound, Andrew Chin (Boston College) allowed just two unearned runs in five innings. Chad Sobotka (SC Upstate) gave up a run in three innings and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) struck out two in two scoreless frames for the win. Brewster, who had won three in a row, dropped to 6-14.

 

Harwich 10, Orleans 0

The Mariners (12-9) scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to an easy victory over Orleans (9-11). Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) led the big offensive night, going 2-for-3 with four RBI. Heidt has an average under .200, but now owns a four-RBI and a five-RBI day on the season. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) also had two hits while A.J. Reed (Kentucky) had two RBI. The offense was more than enough for Harwich starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska). He had given up his first runs of the season in his last start, but got back to his scoreless ways on Sunday, working six shutout innings with a season-high six strikeouts. Tyler Burgess (Missouri State) and Jake Drossner (Maryland) finished off the shutout.

 

Y-D 4, Wareham 3

The Gatemen (4-17) led 2-0 into the seventh, but Y-D (10-10-1) scored one in the seventh and three in the eighth for the comeback win. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) had an RBI single in the seventh before Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) smacked a two-run double to power the eighth inning rally. Kevin McAvoy (Bryant) picked up the win in relief and Darrell Hunter (Oregon) got the save. Brandon Downes (Virginia) and Cole Peragine (Stony Brook) each had two hits to lead the Red Sox. Trey Killian (Arkansas) gave Wareham six shutout innings. Power arm Sean Newcomb (Hartford) made his first appearance since the season opener and took the loss.

 

What to Watch

Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina), who ranks fourth in the league in strikeouts, gets the start for Cotuit as the Kettleers host Harwich in a battle of second-place teams. Dillon Peters (Texas), who had a tremendous spring in Austin, will make his first start for the Mariners after two scoreless innings of relief in his debut.