The Orleans Firebirds and the Wareham Gatemen faced off in a matchup between the last-place teams in both divisions. Both teams needed a spark, but Orleans came out with a 3-2 win in an extra-inning thriller over the Gatemen.

The affair was largely a pitching effort from both sides, with neither side scoring through four innings.

Wareham pitcher Peyton Lee threw a gem on the mound with five innings of one-hit baseball.

Orleans pitcher Casey Euper had a quality start of his own, working into the sixth inning, giving up four hits, striking out six and allowing only two runs. Those two runs came when Wareham infielder Linkin Garcia rifled a ball to center field, which scored Tony Lira and Levi Clark to make it 2-0 in the top of the fifth. Euper's 1.62 ERA is still one of the best among starters as he continues to pitch well on the Cape.

As Euper continued to toss, "Here we go Euppp!" chants echoed out from the Orleans dugout.

The Firebirds got a major boost from infielders Adam Magpoc and Tyler Harmony. Despite joining Orleans’ roster just that day, the duo immediately slotted into the sixth and seventh spots in the lineup to make an impact. Magpoc and Harmony combined to spark the offense late as Orleans scored two in the ninth before forcing extras.

Orleans held Wareham scoreless in the top of the tenth to set the stage for the comeback win. Magpoc started the bottom of the tenth as the designated runner at second base. With two outs, Orleans first baseman Dominic Cadiz singled to drive in Magpoc to score the winning run.

For a Firebirds club searching for momentum, the comeback was a needed reminder that the season is far from over.

Assistant coach Ryan Hanigan is seeing quick contributions from the Orleans roster that continues to evolve.

"Everyone contributed tonight. The number one thing for them is just settling down, relaxing and letting the game come to them,” Hanigan said. "Some new energy and new additions are always good.”

Magpoc was making his debut with Orleans after spending the start of this summer, and last summer with Brewster.

"This was my first game," Magpoc said. "Coming here with a fresh start and going 1-0, doesn't get any better."

It was no coincidence that Magpoc was added to the Orleans roster. His ties to the manager, Kelly Nicholson, go far beyond the Cape.

"I've known Kelly since high school,” Magpoc said. “He was actually my high school math teacher; playing in front of him was cool; he really respects my game."

Another player embracing the challenge of the Cape is two-way standout, AJ Beltre, the son of MLB Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre.

Beltre Jr.'s namesake and father, a member of the 2010 Red Sox, was in attendance at Eldredge Park to watch his son play, but Beltre Jr. did not feel any added pressure.

"I can't put into words how much he's helped me in this game,” Beltre said. “The little things he helps me out with, the tips and things he sees, have gotten me to where I am today."

Beltre’s two-way skillset is just one part of Orleans’ attempted midseason turnaround.

"The season hasn't fully gone our way. We know that if we stick together, we can turn it around," Beltre said. "There's a great group of guys. We love being around each other and enjoying each other's presence."

The Cape League’s major league connections run deep. Another player at Eldredge Park was Noah Sheffield, the son of nine-time All-Star Gary Sheffield. Noah joined the Gatemen from Florida State and is looking to revitalize the Wareham lineup while Beltre attempts the same in Orleans.

Beltre has become one of the more intriguing players on the Firebirds roster thanks to his ability to contribute both on the mound and at the plate.

Beltre put in two innings of relief, allowing zero hits and fanning two Gatemen. However, he still feels that hitting is in his blood.

"To be honest, I love hitting. Pitching came a little later in my life," Beltre said. "Hitting is my passion. It's what I've done my whole life. Pitching is newer for me, and it's a lot of fun, but hitting is what I've worked for my whole life."

Beltre has five hits with the Firebirds this season to complement his now four scoreless innings on the mound.

With Orleans set to travel to Fenway Park on July 2, Beltre is looking forward to playing in a ballpark where his father once starred.

"It'll be really cool to be in his stomping grounds, get some at-bats there and work out there. It'll be a lot of fun," Beltre said.

Assistant coach Ryan Hanigan, who played for the Red Sox in 2015 and 2016, is eager for his players to experience Fenway for the first time.

"I'm excited for them. It's a great yard," Hanigan said. "It's going to be an experience for them. I'll be watching their reactions and enjoying the scenes."

Nicholson and Hanigan hope to use the momentum from the roster additions and the upcoming Fenway Day experience to spark the Firebirds as they continue their climb up the West Division standings.