As the Bourne Braves took the field for the bottom of the fifth, starting LHP Rhys Bowie (Wake Forest) looked to finish what had been a great day on the mound. The southpaw had retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced and had six strikeouts to his name. He couldn’t escape the inning though.
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox exploded for a four-run fifth inning. Silent on offense before and after the fifth frame, it turned out that was all the Sox needed to beat the Braves in 4-2 fashion on Saturday evening.
Bowie started the frame strong, forcing a groundball to shortstop for the first out. After surrendering his first walk of the game and allowing a single to right field, it looked like his day might be done. Field Manager Scott Landers began to leave the dugout for a mound visit, but Bowie’s imploring motions from the mound convinced his manager to stay put.
After the Braves’ starter walked his second batter of the inning in the next at-bat, Landers once again showed trust in his pitcher. Despite this decision showing just how much trust Landers has in his pitchers, it would end up being a costly choice. Bowie allowed back-to-back singles in the next two at-bats. By the time he exited the game, the Red Sox had taken a 4-2 lead.
“I had trust in him at that point,” said Landers after the game. “I had faith he was gonna do it, and it just backfired a little bit.”
Though the rough fifth inning cost the Braves the win, the offense didn’t do its pitchers any favors. Bourne, despite mustering eight hits, was only able to put two runs on the scoreboard. The Braves drew zero walks in the contest, which hindered their ability to put together big innings.
“We just have to have better at bats,” said Landers. “Swing decisions right now are not very good and the swings are a little big. We just have to get back to basics and do the little things.”
Both Bourne runs came in the fourth. C Andrew Costello (South Carolina) continued his hot start to the year with a hustle double on a ground ball to left field. His brother, DH Luke Costello (Wake Forest), reached next on a hit by pitch and RF Derrick Pitts (Cincinnati) singled to load the bases. Bourne’s first run of the game came just a few pitches later. A wild pitch from Red Sox starter Taylor Penn (Arizona State) reached the backstop, allowing Andrew Costello to cross the plate.
In the same at-bat as the wild pitch, rain began to fall at Red Wilson Field. The game fell into a temporary rain delay, sending Braves and Red Sox fans alike running for cover.
After twenty minutes and a pitching change for the Red Sox, play resumed. Despite the delay, the Bravos’ fourth inning rally continued. 3B Trent Caraway (LSU) hit a shallow fly ball to center field that fell between three Y-D defenders, allowing the second Costello brother to score for Bourne.
From the sixth inning on, neither team was able to gain any momentum on offense. The Braves’ bullpen, though, remained a bright spot of the team. RHP Isaiah Shayter (Penn State) threw 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of Bowie, picking up six strikeouts. RHP Jackson Kircher (Arkansas) followed him, throwing a scoreless eighth inning.
WHAT IT MEANS
Even with their second loss of the season, the Braves received some help to remain in the top spot of the Cape Cod West Division. Bourne will look to get back in the win column at home on Sunday night against Brewster.
BOURNEBRAVES.ORG PLAYER OF THE GAME
Derrick Pitts is tonight’s Player of the Game. The Braves’ right fielder recorded his first career multi-hit game on the Cape, going 2-for-4 in the contest. Pitts’ hit in the fourth inning loaded the bases and helped Bourne score their only two runs of the contest.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much, just tryna get the barrel to the ball and help the team the best I can,” said Pitts about his performance in a postgame interview.
NEXT UP
The Braves will return home on Sunday, taking on the Brewster Whitecaps for the first time this season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
