The Hyannis Harbor Hawks secured a long-awaited victory in Doran Park, winning 8-5 over the Bourne Braves. The last time the Harbor Hawks (3-1-1, 2-0 West Division) beat the Braves (1-3-1, 0-1 West Division) as visitors was June 28, 2022.

“It feels good, all wins feel good. This one [is] especially sweet just for history here,” Hyannis manager Mitch Karraker said. “[Bourne does] a great job, they always have a great team, they play really well at home, tonight we just played a little bit better.”

Santi Garcia showed guts in his late appearance for the Harbor Hawks, working through one of the most difficult situations a reliever can inherit. To start Richie Roman’s attempt at a fourth inning of relief, five Bourne batsmen in a row reached base safely.

This inched the Braves two runs closer, making the score 8-4 with the bases juiced in the bottom of the seventh. Garcia assumed the mound with the tying run coming to the plate and put on a show.

The lefty from Oregon got Peyton Bonds to chase a ball below in the zone, easing into the game with a strikeout. Following this, Jon LeGrande rolled over to second base, but an error spoiled a potential double-play and allowed another run to score.

Garcia made sure not to let that blunder manufacture momentum for Bourne. The southpaw struck out Kade Lewis, then handed Braden Holcomb a chair for his fourth time of the night.

The New Mexico native started the eighth inning with a pair of walks and an errant pickoff attempt that put runners on the corners. Garcia then got Campbell Smithwick to go down hacking, and picked off Weber Neels at first with a lightning-quick move.

Garcia’s third walk of the inning afterwards drew Tommy O’Rourke out of the Harbor Hawks bullpen, who ended the inning with a flyout. O’Rourke then closed out the game by setting down the top of the Braves' lineup in order, securing his first save of the season.

While Hyannis’ pitching staff prevailed late in the game, it was supported thoroughly by the offense’s highest scoring output of the season.

The offensive onslaught from the visiting team started with Matt Miura, the first batter of the game. The Hawaiian outfielder pulled a single into left field, then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball.

Jaxon Willits delivered in his first at-bat with the Harbor Hawks, knocking in Miura with a single through the middle infield. Andrew Williamson and Ray Velazquez loaded the bases with a walk and a single, leaving a big opportunity to break the game open early on.

Chris Rembert smacked the first pitch he saw into deep left-center field, skipping the ball over the fence for a two-run double.

This quick offensive start gave Brett Lanman significant run support before toeing the slab for his debut with Hyannis.

“It’s huge, especially [as Lanman] gets his first start tonight in the Cape,” Karraker said. “To give him a little bit of a cushion there at the beginning, just to breathe and do what he does, was really big. Any time we can get a good start like that, we feel good about ourselves.”

The lefty from Abilene Christian gave the Harbor Hawks his all, going three innings while allowing just three hits, one run, zero walks and collecting five strikeouts.

Hyannis added necessary insurance runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The three-run bombardment in the sixth inning ended up being the difference in this game.

Walks by Willits and Velazquez, intermitted by a Williamson double, loaded the bases for Myles Bailey. This was the second opportunity for the Florida State first baseman to do damage with three runners in front of him.

Bailey launched a ball into deep left field, sending Logan Hughes to the warning track as he tracked the soaring fly ball. The Texas Tech outfielder botched the catch, allowing two runs to score as Bailey stayed at first with Velazquez across the diamond.

The Austin Peay infielder scored the third run of the inning on a passed ball, capping the Harbor Hawks’ run total on the day.

This provided the visitors with a lead that proved insurmountable for Bourne in the late innings.

Hyannis looks to keep its bats hot in its next game against Wareham. The Harbor Hawks return to McKeon Park to take on the Gatemen (2-3, 0-2 Western Division) on June 20 at 6 p.m.