BOURNE, Mass. — Though the Bourne Braves returned home on Saturday after a tough four-game stretch on the road, life didn’t get easier for the reigning champs. The Bravos dropped both ends of their Saturday doubleheader, falling to 18-18-3 on the season and settling in as the two seed in the West with one game remaining until playoffs.

Let’s see how the games went down.

Game One: Mariners 5, Braves 2

The Braves’ late-season losing streak carried over to the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader. In the seven-inning contest, Bourne faced the same issues they’ve struggled with for most the season: Getting down early and coming alive on offense too late.

Against the Mariners early Saturday afternoon, Bourne found itself having to climb out of another early-game deficit. The first five Harwich batters of the game reached base, putting three runs on the board before the Braves recorded an out. The last of those five was an RBI single by the Mariners’ Sean O’Leary (UMass-Lowell): A line drive up the middle that struck Braves’ starting pitcher Noah Scott (Oregon State) in the foot.

“It was painful,” said Scott, who stayed on the ground for several minutes and was examined by the Braves’ trainer. “I just needed to give it a little time. The break gave me time to reset my mind.”

From that point on, Scott was stellar on the bump. The righty got the next batter to ground into a double play that scored Harwich’s fourth run, and got through the rest of the inning clean. Scott went on to pitch three more scoreless frames for the Braves.

Unfortunately, Scott didn’t receive any run support from the Bourne offense. Through the first six innings, the Braves had just three hits and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. This has been a common theme of the Braves’ offense all season. In the first six innings of games this summer, Bourne ranks seventh in the league with a .225 batting average.

The Braves’ bats finally woke up in the seventh frame, but it wasn’t in time. Going into the inning down 5-0, CF Matt Bolton (Binghamton) got the action started with a solo home run. The lefty’s second home run of the week scored the Bravos’ first run of the game and gave them a jolt of energy.

“He’s getting back to his approach and back to feeling good about himself,” said Field Manager Scott Landers about Bolton. “He’s just taking it one pitch at a time.”

The Braves collected three more hits in the frame, scoring a second run and bringing the tying run to the plate. With a chance to tie the game, however, RF Luke Costello flew out.

Game Two: Red Sox 6, Braves 4

The Braves’ luck didn’t change in the nightcap against the Y-D Red Sox.

Once again, the visiting team got on the board in the first. Red Sox first baseman Tommy Goodin (Vanderbilt) gave Y-D an early 2-0 lead with a two-run shot over the left field fence. Bourne didn’t have an answer early and spent most of the game down two runs.

In the seventh, Y-D picked up a third run on an RBI double. This time, the Braves responded. CF Matt Bolton (Binghamton) hit his second home run of the day, a two-run blast, after a walk by RF Luke Costello, to cut the lead to one. Right after that, 3B Austin Hawke hit his first long ball with Bourne to tie the game at 3-3.

“I was just looking for my pitch,” said Bolton after the two-homer day. “Not trying to do too much or get out of my strengths. I was just looking for something I liked and was trying to drive it.”

After Bourne’s three-run rally, both teams went silent on offense and the game went to the tenth. Y-D, looking to clinch the East division, scored three runs in the extra frame to put them in the lead.

With the Braves looking for an answer down three runs in the tenth, C Brice Estep drove an RBI double down the left field line to start the bottom of the inning. Though the hit swung the momentum back in Bourne’s favor, the excitement would be short-lived. The top of the Braves’ order went down 1-2-3 to follow Estep, ending the game with their sixth straight loss.

NEXT UP

The Braves will close out the season on the road with a matchup against the Cotuit Kettleers. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. ET.