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
Sticking with that game for a moment, Wareham’s Alex Dickerson (Indiana) had two more hits to keep his average at .500. He has had two hits in all five games he’s played in this summer.
Cotuit stopped Y-D’s five-game winning streak with a 9-2 victory. The Kettleers had 11 hits, getting at least one from nine different players. Paul Hoilman (East Tennessee State), Jordan Leyland (UC Irvine) and James McCann (Arkansas) all hit home runs for the Kettleers. McCann was making his Cape League debut. Michael Yastrzemski (Vanderbilt) and Brooks Pinckard (Baylor) had two hits apiece. On the mound, Josh Spence (Arizona State) made his second start for Cotuit and allowed a run in three innings. A.J. Achter (Michigan State) picked up the win with four shutout innings.
Another West team topped a strong East club as Hyannis beat Chatham 6-2. Trent Howard (Central Michigan), who was impressive in his first two starts, put up another strong one last night, allowing two runs and striking out five in 5.1 innings. Howard now has 17 strikeouts and just two walks in 15.1 innings. Mark Micowski (Georgia State) had three hits out of the Hyannis leadoff spot, and Jason Nappi (Harding) drove in two.
Orleans faced Falmouth’s Mark Pope (Georgia Tech), who hadn’t allowed a run in his first two starts, and touched him up for 11 hits. Though they only scored two runs off him, he was done after six and the Commodores kept scoring against the Falmouth pen. Danny Muno (Fresno State) had one of the best offensive days of the summer, going 5-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jason Esposito (Vanderbilt) wasn’t far behind, finishing 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBI. Esposito had two hits in his first four games, but after last night, is hitting .316. Shon Roe (Loyola Marymount), Kevin Muno (San Diego) and Kolten Wong (Hawaii) also had multi-hit games for Orleans.
Tommy LaStella (Coastal Carolina) hit a walk-off double as Bourne beat Harwich 5-3 in 10 innings. Bourne led 3-1 until Harwich tied it in the eighth. But a dropped third strike gave Bourne life in the 10th and LaStella followed with a double to give Bourne the win. Ryan Wright (Louisville) and Nick Ahmed (Connecticut) had two hits each for Bourne. Tyler Pill (Cal State Fullerton), another big talent arriving late to Harwich, went 2-for-4 in his debut. Mikie Mahtook (LSU) went 1-for-4.
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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