The Firebirds hopped on their buses and started another Cape Cod road trip. They traversed the peninsula on the famous Route 6. They crossed the historic Sagamore Bridge — standing tall in its weathered steel glory with its sibling Bourne Bridge since 1933 — high above the dark waters of the man-made Cape Cod Canal. Back on Massachusetts mainland, they arrived at Clem Spillane Field, home of the Wareham Gatemen.

Orleans players and personnel were streaming off the buses just an hour before first pitch. Batting and infield practice was cancelled due to the threat of rain. Players stretched and threw in the outfield for light warmups.

Though it was a matchup of the East and West division’s basement dwellers, the play on the field proved otherwise. The Birds posted another offensive outburst, rocking the Gatemen for six earned runs across twelve hits. The hot bats provided more than enough run support for Chase Frey (Grand Canyon). The lefty spun an absolute gem, tossing five and two thirds innings of one run ball.

Tyler Myatt (Tennessee) was 4-4 with all singles, proving he could hit the ball some place other than over the fence. Dominic Cadiz (UCLA) recorded his first long ball of the year and racked up half the team’s RBIs. Cale Stricklin (Charlotte) had a three hit night with two RBIs and called a great game as the backstop.

Cadiz quickly woke up the sleepy crowd with a sharp crack of the bat. The righty blasted a hanging breaking ball from Connor Mohan over the fence in left field, bringing him and Myatt around to score. The 30 on Cadiz’s jersey fluttered as he trotted the bases. Orleans was starting a trend of getting ahead early.

If there was any question whether or not the Birds knew how to celebrate, Cadiz’s homer put those worries to bed. The Birds roared from the dugout, swarming Cadiz in celebration. The broadcast crew situated right by the Orleans on-deck area picked up every word of jubilant congratulations.

Stricklin didn’t want the first inning scoring party to end. He shot a single in between the first and second basemen. Two more Firebirds scored. Teammates leaning on the dugout railing let loose more hoots and hollers.

Frey climbed the hill against a cloudy background. He threw a good deal of pitches, but retired three Gatemen in order. Frey made sure to talk shop with the catcher Stricklin on the way back to the dugout.

AJ Beltré took his warmup swings before entering the righty batters box in the second. Assistant coach Ryan Hanigan gave him a tip while on-deck — lay off Mohan’s cutter which he hadn’t thrown for a strike yet. Beltré listened. He roped a first-pitch fastball past the diving Gateman at the hot corner for a double. Myatt recorded another infield hit. Cadiz recorded his third RBI of the game in two innings with a sacrifice fly. 5-0 Birds.

Frey spun the ball well in the second, relying on heavy slider usage to post another scoreless half inning. More Wareham fans filled up the old-timey wooden bleacher section behind the first base line.

Raygoza just missed a homer in the third, but the Birds picked him up. Beltré came though again, recording the third single of the inning in a row. Stricklin came around to score Orleans’ sixth run. It was already a 10-hit day for the Firebirds bats through only three innings.

All the momentum produced by the Firebirds offense seemed to transfer right back to Frey on the mound. The big lefty stuck to the spin, striking out two more Gatemen on sliders in the bottom of the inning. Frey added another K and scoreless inning in the fourth.

The Birds briskly took the field in the fifth. Rain was falling steadily. If they could get one more inning in, the game would be official. Moving with pace, Frey’s famous slider struck out another, and got two more fast outs. The rain couldn’t spoil his five inning no-hit bid.

Frey’s incredible outing was hampered in the sixth as weather conditions took a turn for the worse. He allowed only his second walk of the evening, followed by a Jason Wachs double that pushed across the Gatemen’s first run of the evening. Frey’s night was done after 5 2/3 innings. He racked up six total strikeouts and allowed just one hit. His arsenal of fastball, changeup and slider outclassed Wareham.

“I stayed ahead with every pitch,” Frey said. “I could change speeds on guys and feel comfortable. I’ve been working on a changeup all summer. I hadn’t thrown one at Grand Canyon last year.”

D.C. Brown, who recently transferred to the Ivy League school that shares his last name, entered after Frey. He battled a slippery ball and surrendered a walk, but escaped the jam.

After two Gatemen faced Brayden Toro (Stetson) in the seventh, the umpires called both coaches together for a conference. The drizzle had become a downpour. All parties agreed no more baseball should be played in such conditions.

The Birds held a quick postgame dugout conference before rushing to their buses. The “Hitter of the Game” award was transferred from Sunday’s recipient Elijah Ickes (Hawaii) to Cadiz. “Pitcher of the Game” changed hands from LJ Cormier (Auburn) to Frey. Though the win may have been abbreviated, the Firebirds' spirits were riding high.

Frey offered his final thoughts and outlook moving forward before leaving the rain-soaked dugout.

“I’m going to attack no matter what,” Frey said. “When the guys get going early, it gives me a sense of comfort out there. I want to stack some Firebirds W’s.”