Playoffs – Day 1
If you were hoping to see competitive games that have you sitting on the edge of your seat, the first day of the Cape League playoffs did not provide that excitement. In the East, both of the higher seeded teams won. The two lower seeded teams were victorious in the West. Yarmouth-Dennis defeated Harwich, 7-2, and Brewster beat up on Orleans, 8-2. Things weren’t much closer in the West where Cotuit stifled Falmouth, 6-1 and Wareham beat Bourne in the closest – and most exciting - game of the day, 9-5.
Brewster won 5 of 6 regular season games from Orleans. Although the Firebirds entered the playoffs as the league’s hottest team, having lost just once in their last 12 games, the Whitecaps continued their dominance over Orleans. Brewster jumped on Orleans starter Kyle Simon (Arizona) for 3 runs in the first. Simon posted a 0.92 ERA over 7 starts totaling 39 innings this summer. Brewster extended their lead to 5-0 after 7 innings before Orleans scored their runs in the eighth. The Whitecaps put the game out of reach when they answered with 3 runs off John Brebbia (Elon) in the home half of that inning. Matt Larkins was outstanding for Brewster. The righthander from UC-Riverside pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits while fanning 9. Whitecaps broadcaster Fred Katz reports that Brewster manager Tom Myers said that Larkins’ start was was “the best Whitecaps start of the season.” That’s high praise considering some of the starts turned in by Anthony Ranaudo, Andrew Gagnon and Mike Palazzone. Khayyan Norfork lead the way offensively for Brewster. Norfork was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. Devin Jones (2 hits, 2 RBI), Taylor Ard (2 hits, 1 RBI) and Kyle Singer (2 RBI) all helped the Whitecaps cause. In Game 2 Saturday night at Eldredge Park, Brewster is expected to throw Matt Crouse (Mississippi) against Orleans’ Matt Sisto (Hawaii).
Over in Yarmouth, the Red Sox jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings and cruised to a 7-2 win. Y-D sent 11 different batters up to the plate and 10 of them recorded a hit in a 14-hit attack. Randy Fontanez (South Florida) allowed 6 hits and 2 runs over 6 innings and picked up the win. Tyler Pill hit a two-run homer in the sixth to account for Harwich’s only runs. Mariners starter Greg Peavey (Oregon State) was tagged for 9 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings of work. The probable starting pitchers for Game 2 at Whitehouse Field are John Leonard (Boston College) for Y-D and Joe Holtmeyer (Nebraska-Omaha) for Harwich.
In Falmouth, Austin Wood (St. Petersburg) dominated the Commodores lineup, limiting the hosts to 4 hits in 7 innings as Cotuit romped, 6-1. Wood struckout 10. The Kettleers scored one in the first and added 3 more in the second and they never looked back. Jordan Leyland was 2 for 4 with a homerun and 2 RBI and Chad Wright was 3 for 5 (two doubles) and 3 RBI. Zach Cone and Deven Marrero each had two hits for Cotuit.
Bourne scored four in the first off Wareham’s Max Perlman (Harvard) but the Gatemen tied it with single runs in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Wareham added 2 in the eighth and 3 in the ninth to take Game 1 from the host Braves, 9-5. After struggling in the first inning, Perlman settled down and pitched shutout ball over the next 5 innings. Before the game, Bourne’s Grayson Garvin (Vanderbilt) was named the Pitcher of the Year after posting a 5-0 record with a 0.74 ERA. The Gatemen got to Garvin for 8 hits and 3 runs in 4.2 innings. Tyler Bream (2-5, 2 RBI) homered for Wareham. LJ Mazzilli (3-5, 2 RBI) and John Andreoli (2-3, 3 runs) paced Wareham’s offense. Travis Shaw hit a 3-run homer to provide the bulk of Bourne’s offense. It should be a good pitching matchup when these teams square off on Saturday at Spillane Field. Wareham’s Jack Armstrong (Vanderbilt) is scheduled to go up against Anthony Meo (Coastal Carolina) for Bourne.
Looks like Joe Flynn is going to start for Wareham tonight instead of Armstrong.
Thanks for the update!
This is a pretty clear indication that Wareham feels they will sweep tonight and want to save Armstrong for Game 1 of the semi-finals. Pretty presumptuous if you ask me.
I dont think Wareham wants to come back to Bourne for Game 3 and that’s exactly what they seem to be asking for.
Oops. Here is the discussion about Armstrong. Flynn has had two good games recently, but I am not sure I would bump him above Armstrong in such an important game. I know that having your #2 starter in game 1 of the next round would be great, especially if Falmouth-Cotuit goes three games and those teams are using their #4, but it is risky.
It’s not just that he’d be available in the first game of the next round…If they lose, would you rather have Armstrong or Flynn starting in Bourne for game 3?
I don’t think starting Flynn is presumptious at all. You could argue actually that is too cautious of a move. Rather than throw your best guy at them tonight to try and close the series, you are worried about what you might have in a game 3.
And like someone said, Flynn has been good in his own right. Was pitcher of the week and has a fresh arm.
Clearly the Flynn info was wrong as Urban pitched outstanding for Wareham. This Gatemen team can make some serious damage the rest of the way. Timely hitting and great pitching. I didn’t think they’d beat Bourne and Cotuit seems next in their line towards the final.
The Wareham staff I talked to an hour before the game were saying they thought Flynn was pitching. Not sure what went into the decision to go with Urban, but it worked out. Can we assume that Jack Armstrong and Joe Flynn pitch games 1 and 2 for Wareham against Cotuit? Maybe I should quit guessing what Cooper Farris is going to do.
I saw that Murray pitched 2+ innings yesterday for Cotuit. Does that mean the Kettleers start Shore and Tropeano against Wareham?
This should be an interesting match up.
Tropeano has dominated Wareham so that is a tough matchup for the Gatemen. Does anyone know the status of Baret Loux? Cotuit signed him last week and as everyone knows, he was a top 10 draft pick in June and failed his physical with the Diamondbacks. He’s got to make an appearance at some point right?
For Wareham, Armstrong has got to be a shoe in to start game 1 and you’d think Flynn but don’t forget about Eric Pfisterer.
The Wareham bullpen is shaky and at some point, Flynn or Pfisterer will have to be called on to make a relief appearance you’d think.
Offensively, both teams hit the ball well in the first round with Jordan Leyland and Chad Wright in a nice groove.
For Wareham, their big guns had so-so series although Tyler Bream hit a homer in game 1. Andreoli, Mazzilli & McClain sparked the Wareham offense in both games of that series.
I think the 3:00pm starts takes something away from the overall excitement but this might be a fun series to watch.
On the other side, I’m hoping to see Orleans play YD. Nothing against Brewster because considering the pitching they’ve lost, it is hard not to root for the Whitecaps but Orleans was the best team down the stretch and with Marcus Stroman at the back of that pitching staff, they are going to be a tough out if they matchup with YD.
Back to the afternoon games – if Brewster wins today, 3 out of the 4 teams left will not have lights at their home ballparks and that means the ONLY game in the Division finals that will be played in “prime time” is game 2 in Wareham. On the weekends that is not too too bad but the entire division finals will be completed by Wednesday and unless their is rain, the finals could be wrapped up by Friday. Not sure if anyone else feels the same way. I’d be interested in your thoughts.
I dunno- lack of lights is part of the charm with hose parks- it isn’t like the league is facing deals with TV networks or anything- if you are a fan of the game, you will get out there to see it.
Only have so many vacation days. I like the day games, but I might have to skip out this next round.
What is the CCBL record for games started against the same opponent in one season? Tropeano might make his fifth start against Wareham! Wow.