A lot of strange things happened in the Orleans-Cotuit game last night, but what’s really notable is the one thing that didn’t happen.
Cotuit’s Mike Bianucci did not take the field.
Bianucci, who was all over the league leaderboard in home runs and RBI, signed a pro contract with the Texas Rangers, who selected him last month in the eighth round of the draft. A junior at Auburn, Bianucci opted to come to the Cape for the third time in his career, hoping to gain some leverage. And he must have gained enough.
It’s a rite of a Cape League summer that a handful of players will sign in the middle of the season, and it’s always a little bit disappointing. But, really, it shouldn’t be. When a player signs in the middle of the Cape League summer, it’s tangible proof of what works in the Cape League. A player can come here, have success and say to the team that drafted him, “This is what I can do.” And when you can do it in the Cape, it’s unequivocal.
Ultimately, one of the league’s chief purposes is to give opportunities in the present and to create opportunities for the future. When the opportunity is right there and a player grabs it, that’s always good to see.
So congratulations to Mike and best of luck.
Elsewhere
- That Orleans-Cotuit game ended in a 4-4 tie after a wild ninth inning. After Orleans took the lead on a strange sequence, Cotuit’s Brett Jackson answered with a home run. Darkness meant no extra innings.
- Hyannis won its fourth consecutive game with a 7-6 victory over Harwich. Chris Dominguez (Louisville) hit a home run and Russell Brewer (Vanderbilt) picked up his 11th save, which breaks a Hyannis record. Brewer needs only five more to tie the Cape League record of 16.
- Falmouth scored the most runs of any team this summer in an 18-4 victory over Y-D. Michael Thomas (Southern) went 4-for-5 and Kevin Nolan (Winthrop) went 4-for-6. A.J. Pollock (Notre Dame) went 3-for-6 with a home run and three RBI.
- Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas) tossed a complete game to lead Wareham past Chatham 8-2. Keuchel struck out eight and didn’t walk anybody. He also got plenty of support. Kipp Schutz (Indiana), Raynor Campbell (Baylor) and Buddy Munroe (Florida) all hit home runs.
- Brewster beat Bourne 10-6 behind a home run and four RBI from Brent Milleville (Stanford) and a 4-for-6 night from leadoff hitter Ty Kelly (UC Davis).
What to Watch For Tonight
- Chris Manno (Duke) will take his 2.08 ERA into Brewster as Harwich faces Nick Christiani (Vanderbilt) and the Whitecaps.
- Matt Bashore (Indiana) will make his first start of the year for Wareham as the Gatemen host Y-D. Bashore was one of the top starters in the Big 10 this year but has only pitched out of the bullpen so far this summer.
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