Y-D: 2, Orleans: 2

Coming off a split of a double header against Cotuit on Sunday, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox battled long into the night on Tuesday against the Orleans Firebirds. In a game that ran over three hours under threatening clouds, eleven innings of compelling baseball could not decide a winner.
   Kyle Hansen started for the Red Sox throwing a solid five innings and recording three strikeouts, while allowing only one run in the first. Steve Selsky of the Firebirds presented the only real threat Hanson faced, driving a deep double to left field (which may have cleared the fence if the strong wind hadn’t been blowing in) that drove in the first run of the game. Hanson found himself in some more trouble in the fifth inning allowing back-to-back singles before a fantastic diving stop by third baseman Anthony Melchionda and a strike out of the final batter of the inning.
   Matt Wessinger continues to impress for the Red Sox going 3-4 with two singles and a double in Tuesday’s game. Wessinger has been hitting the ball hard at the beginning of the season, spraying the ball all over the field, including a hard double to the right-center gap in the seventh.
   The Red Sox were able to bring in their first run thanks to some shaky defense on the part of the Firebirds. A walk, botched pick off attempt, and a throwing error by Orleans second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum allowed Mike O’Neill to score after a base on balls.
   YD gained a great chance to blow the game open, loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. However, a line out to the second baseman and a double play squandered the promising opportunity.
   More excitement brewed for the Red Sox in the bottom of the sixth when an error and a catcher’s interference call quickly put two runners on base. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, coach Scott Pickler’s small ball tactics worked to perfection when a beautiful sacrifice squeeze by John Adornetto brought in the go-ahead run that put the Red Sox up 2-1.
   Walks continued to hurt the Red Sox, though, as with two outs in the top of the eighth, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a single allowed the tying run to score for the Firebirds.
   The Red Sox had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth after a leadoff walk by Isaac Ballou and a steal of second put him in scoring position with no outs. The steal was reminiscent of Dave Roberts heroic steal against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, when the entire stadium knew Roberts was going, everyone at Red Mills Field knew Ballou was eyeing second base, yet he was quick enough to make it there safely.
   Unfortunately, Firebirds relief pitcher Marcus Stroman recorded two huge strike outs, one swinging and one looking, before retiring the final batter on a fly out. Stroman looked very good through his three innings of relief, allowing only two base runners and striking out five.
   The Red Sox did not benefit from opportunities in extra innings. A beautiful bunt by Matt Wessinger down the third base line almost worked for a hit in the tenth, which was followed by a single by Mason Katz who was promptly picked off first in an upsetting baserunning error. In the eleventh, a bloop single by O’Neill and a base on balls by Ballou was not capitalized upon as the following two batters struck out.
   The game was suspended due to darkness after eleven innings, ending in a 2-2 tie. While a win was in sight, the Red Sox settled for the draw and travel to Harwich tomorrow to face the Mariners in search of their fourth win.