RED SOX GET TO GOTT ON THEIR WAY TO ROUND ONE SERIES VICTORY
It took a total of twenty-seven hits and fifteen runs for the YD Red Sox (2-0) to defeat the Eastern Division Champion Orleans Firebirds (0-2) in the first round of the playoffs featuring two games of very different qualities. While the first game of the series produced solid pitching, each starter going eight innings, Saturday evening’s game at Red Wilson Field presented a flip-flopping, show-stopping slugfest that had spectators believing one team to win and then the other with a blink of an eye.
Amidst all of the dramatic action that took place between the two teams, it was the Red Sox that prevailed with an exciting 11-10 victory over the Firebirds. The YD offense proved two things in this game: first, that it is a dangerous, powerhouse offense that can make a serious run into the playoffs and two, that it is resilient and can come sweeping back despite any setbacks. The Red Sox scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth trailing by three against Orleans’ shut down closer Trevor Gott who entered the game with 12 saves and a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings this season.
The last time the Red Sox had seen Gott was back on July 20 in Orleans, ironically it was Mark Appel’s first start with YD. In the 2-0 loss to Orleans, Gott shut the door with a 1-2-3 inning against Brian Johnson, Mason Katz, and Chris Taylor. It was a different story Saturday, as was the game itself, in which the two teams combined to recorded 21 runs on 31 hits. The YD Red Sox offense and the starting pitching by Joey Denato, who held the Firebirds scoreless through four innings, dominated the first half of the game. A resurgence by the Orleans offense that hadn’t scored all series (13 innings) backed the Red Sox against the wall in the sixth through ninth innings in which 10 Firebirds runs were scored.
Nevertheless, there could not have been a better way to win the series than on a walk-off hit by Connor Harrell who was making his first at-bat and first appearance in the playoffs. There were many outstanding players in this game: Mason Katz began the scoring for both teams with a solo home run in the second inning, Cody Keefer launched his second home run in as many games, a two-run home run, that shot into the trees in right field, and James Ramsey smashed two clutch dingers, one in the third (back-to-back shots with Keefer) and another in the ninth to begin the comeback.
Even more, Chris Taylor and Tyler Hanover both had multi-hit games. Taylor reached based in four out of his five at-bats and Hanover went 6-9 (.667) in the series. Had there been a most valuable player for the series it would be impossible to award the honor to only one player on the team. The two wins in this first series were truly a team effort, and it is the perfect time to see the Red Sox really coming together as a team to fight towards a Cape League Championship. The team is firing on all cylinders, and even when mistakes are made, they are offset by a teammate picking that player up or a big hit or nice play in the field.
Saturday’s game can be divided into three parts: the quick start, the pitfall, and the comeback. Part one featured good pitching and hard hitting. Joey Denato started on the mound for the Red Sox allowing one run through five innings before falling apart in the sixth. YD scored first in the bottom of the second thanks to Katz’s solo shot to deep center field. They added on three more runs in the third due to back-to-back shots by Keefer and Ramsey. The third inning set the tone for the rest of the game as Ramsey launched his first home run after having a ball thrown close to his head. He glared at Orleans starter Matt Boyd as he came around and touched home plate seeming to say, “We do our work on the field.”
It was a 5-1 lead for the Red Sox going into the sixth inning, Coach Pickler elected to stick with Denato, and the pitfall began. The decision came back to haunt Pickler as Denato could not retire a batter, instead surrendering four hits, including a 3-run home run to Jayce Boyd before being pulled. The Firebirds tacked on two more runs in the inning after the bases were loaded with one out, and a hard grounder was hit to Matt Reynolds at third. Reynolds misplayed the ball as it hopped into the outfield and two runners crossed the plate giving Orleans the lead 6-5.
Relievers Daniel Gibson and Andrew Thurman, who combined to throw two innings of relief, allowed three runs yet none of them were earned. Orleans scored two more runs in the seventh inning due to miscommunication in left field between Keefer and Taylor. What would have been the third out, a lazy fly ball to left, allowed the inning to progress and the Firebirds lead to grow.
The Red Sox chipped away at the lead, scoring one run in the seventh and another in the eighth to reduce the Orleans lead to 8-7. Important hits in these two innings came from Anthony Melchionda, who hit a pinch hit double to begin the seventh, a single by Katz in the eighth after a 10-pitch at-bat, and an RBI double by Derrick Chung two batters later who has come through with clutch hits quite frequently in the past week.
Now, if the Red Sox could shut down Orleans in the top of the ninth, they’d have a shot to tie or win the game in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately, Orleans leadoff man Andrew Aplin, who reached base in five of his six at-bats in the game, hit a crucial two-run home run to regain his team’s three run lead, 10-7.
A comeback looked near impossible for the Red Sox who trailed by three runs and were about to face one of the most dominant pitchers in the Cape League this season. Trevor Gott had only allowed three runs all season, so what were the chances the Sox could make any noise against him? After Keefer flied out to begin the inning, the Sox sparkplug James Ramsey stepped up and hit his second home run of the game (8th of the season) to left center field that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for the eighth YD run. The shot looked to rattle Gott who wasn’t the same the rest of the inning.
He walked Piscotty and Reynolds laced his first hit of the game, a single, into right field to place runners on first and second with one out. Gott got Katz to pop out to the catcher when Cape League veteran Tyler Hanover stepped to the plate. Hanover has had some big hits this season but possibly none larger than his two-out single that darted just past Orleans shortstop Anthony Gomez into the gap in left center field that scored Piscotty from second and Reynolds all the way from first. The triumphant five foot six frame of Hanover now stood on second base.
Connor Harrell was sent to the plate to pinch hit for Mike O’Neill who had pinch run in the previous inning. Harrell wasted no time in driving a double into the gap in right center field to bring home Hanover and deliver YD’s amazing series upset of the top seed, the Orleans Firebirds. An 11-10 victory at once seemed improbable but eventually became a reality.
Celebration ensued at Red Wilson Field as the heart of YD Nation continued to beat for another series. Keep a close eye on the Harwich Mariners (2) vs. Brewster Whitecaps (3) series, which is currently tied at one game apiece. The Red Sox will play the first game of their next series away on Tuesday and return for more magic at Red Wilson Field on Wednesday.
--Ben Stepansky
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