If you were in Wareham last night, I’m jealous.
The probables section hasn’t offered many awesome pitching match-ups this season, but if you checked on it yesterday, you saw the best one yet. Brewster’s Anthony Ranaudo (LSU), supplemental-round pick of the Red Sox, would take on Wareham’s Matt Barnes (Connecticut), a potential first-rounder in 2011.
They didn’t disappoint.
In front of a Saturday night crowd listed at 1,110, Ranaudo and Barnes staged the best pitchers’ duel of the summer. Ranaudo allowed one hit in 6.2 shutout innings and struck out eight. On the other side, Barnes struck out 14 — a league-high for the season — in seven innings. The difference was a Jeremy Schaffer (Tulane) RBI double in the fourth, which plated the lone run Barnes allowed. With the bullpens struggling, both teams scored late, but the decision stood. Ranaudo got the win and Barnes the loss as Brewster won 5-3.
If the Red Sox were watching this one, they had to like what they saw from Ranaudo. In his first start of the summer, he was on a pitch count and went four innings with three strikeouts. Now, with 10.2 innings in the books, Ranaudo has allowed two hits and no runs, while striking out 11.
According to AOL FanHouse baseball analyst Frankie Piliere, Barnes was even more impressive. Piliere reports his velocity was between 93 and 96 and touching 97.
I guess it’s a shame someone had to lose this game. It’s also a shame that both Ranaudo and Barnes may not be long for the Cape League, with Ranaudo likely getting an offer at some point and Barnes possibly heading to Team USA trials.
But for one night at least, the Cape League was a winner.
Elsewhere
What to Watch
It’s a doubleheader day. Big South Pitcher of the Year Anthony Meo (Coastal Carolina) will make his debut for Bourne in game one of a twin bill with Orleans. Meo went 13-2 this spring with a 2.61 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 96.2 innings.
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