Y-D had a solid opportunity to strengthen its grip on first place Tuesday. Instead, it stood still.
Brewster did the Red Sox a favor by losing and keeping Y-D atop the East Division. Y-D couldn't return the favor to itself, falling 8-3 to Harwich at Whitehouse Field as its post-All-Star break struggles continued.
“We were playing from behind, and we couldn't get that clutch hit. It's tough to do things when you're playing from behind, putting pressure on the defense when you're in chase mode,” Y-D assistant coach Craig Gianinno said. “But I'm not concerned. I think we're fine. We just have to get off to a better start. In the last few games our offense has taken too long to get started, and we need to get it going from the jump.”
Entering Tuesday, Y-D led the Cape Cod Baseball League in two-out hitting. Harwich took that distinction Tuesday night and looked the part, especially over the first two innings.
Cade O'Leary (Florida State) got the start for Y-D but couldn't find the putaway pitch that carried him through his previous three outings.
O'Leary allowed a two-out, bases-clearing triple from JP Peltier (Kentucky) in the first inning, and another two-out extra-base hit in the second plated three more runs, putting Y-D in a 6-2 hole before the lineup had even batted through once. He was pulled after 1 2/3 innings, and his six earned runs were the most allowed by a Y-D pitcher in a game all summer.
“I think he just had an off night,” pitching coach Eric Beattie said. “I don't think he was feeling very good about what he was doing. I think he leaped into the game a little bit. We've got some stuff we can work on midweek and get him where he needs to be going into the playoffs.”
Three pitchers, all of whom were added to Y-D's roster in the past week, finished the game for the Red Sox. Peyton Robidoux (Georgia State) and Eli Walker (Indiana) each threw 2 2/3 innings. Robidoux allowed two runs before settling in, Walker worked scoreless, and Joe O'Regan (Nevada) added a clean eighth inning.
“Both of them did really well. They both looked really good,” Beattie said of Robidoux and O’Regan, both making debuts. “Robidoux had a nice changeup. Once he settled in and found his command, it was good. O'Regan has really good stuff. Good command of four or five different pitches. I think both those guys are going to help us down the stretch.”
Y-D answered in the first inning when Tommy Goodin (Vanderbilt) launched a 362-foot, two-run homer to right field. Three of Goodin's four home runs this season have come at Whitehouse Field, though he isn't quite sure why.
“I have no idea why I'm this good here,” Goodin said. “Maybe I'm comfortable here. I mean, I'm comfortable everywhere, but I don't know. Maybe there's some good luck charm or four-leaf clover, but I seriously couldn't tell you.”
Outside of Goodin's homer, Y-D couldn't come up with the timely hit it needed. The Red Sox collected eight hits but stranded 10 runners and had another thrown out at the plate in the sixth inning. Reid Howard (Virginia) drove home Y-D's final run with an RBI single in the ninth, but consecutive strikeouts ended the game.
Those missed opportunities only magnified the damage from the first two innings. After digging out of early deficits throughout much of the summer, Y-D couldn't complete another comeback Tuesday.
The Red Sox remain one game ahead of Brewster in the East Division and will look to hold onto first place Wednesday when they host Orleans at 4:30 p.m. at Red Wilson Field.
