The Birds had gone five-straight home games at Eldredge Park with no win.

That all changed on Sunday night when Orleans snatched the Braves’ four-game winning streak in front of a packed Orleans crowd, taking the matchup 5–2.

While the Braves took an early 2–0 lead, it was short-lived, as Bourne’s bats eventually went cold.

“Great crowds all of July Fourth week, so it’s pretty awesome to get the win. It’s good to get wins at home and protect Eldredge Park,” Robbie Lavey (George Washington) said.

The scoring began in the third when the Braves took an early 2–0 lead. It started with a Ryan Cooney (Oregon) walk and then a Jimmy Kennan (Wake Forest) single.

Soon enough, both Conney and Kennan advanced off a Ryker Waite (Vanderbilt) ground-ball hit. However, it was a Gavin Kelly (West Virginia) single that topped it off for the Braves, bringing Cooney and Keenan home.

Just like that, the Braves had a 2–0 edge over the Birds. Fortunately for Orleans, that lead vanished rapidly. It also marked the last run that Bourne would put up on the board.

In the bottom of the third, Luke Nixon (NC State) came up big for the Birds with a ground-rule double on a line drive to right field.

He wasn’t done quite yet, though. A passed ball by Kennan advanced Nixon to third, as Dawson Bryce (Charlotte) walked up to bat.

Just like Nixon, Bryce didn’t let his bat go cold—he was just heating up. Doubling on a fly ball to center field, Bryce cut the Braves’ lead in half with the Birds’ first run on the night.

It wouldn’t take too long for Orleans to notch its next run. In fact, an Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego) single did just that on the next play, scoring Bryce.

With the score knotted 2–2, it was anybody’s game at Eldredge Park.

A Lavey RBI capitalized on that opportunity. With an RBI and three hits on the night, Lavey brought Potestio home, marking the first time where Orleans had a 3–2 edge in the matchup.

That dominance only continued throughout later innings, as the Birds’ offense began to hammer at the Braves’ defensive cracks.

Holding the Braves to a 1–2–3 inning to start the fourth, Truman Pauley (Harvard) held down the fort for Orleans. In his 2.1 IP, Pauley allowed one hit and notched two strikeouts.

The Braves were unable to get anything going for several consecutive innings.

Thankfully, for the Birds, that was not the case.

Orleans only extended its lead by the time the fifth inning wrapped up. Potestio led the charge with a line drive double to left field. After a Michael O’Shaughnessy (Georgia) walk and Lavey single, Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) came in clutch for Orleans.

Just as Garza always does, he delivered for the Birds.

“I’ve been trying to simplify things and help the team win as much as I can,” Garza said when asked about his recent performance. “It’s been working so far, so I have to keep it rolling. This is the best summer league in the country. I belong here, and I believe that, and I’m on a great team with a great group of guys, so I’m happy to be here.”

Off a ground-rule double to right field, Garza ignited the Birds’ offense by bringing both Potestio and O’Shaughnessy home. With a 5–2 lead, Orleans was cruising toward ending its five-straight home losing streak.

That became a reality for the Birds with a dominant closing by the pitching staff. Splitting the final two IP, Ethan Foley (California), and Steele Murdock (UC San Diego) held the Braves to zero hits, totaling a collective four strikeouts.

With seven different pitchers on the mound throughout the matchup, the pitching staff had ten total strikeouts, allowing just two runs off seven hits.

“It was good to get one at home. Bourne is a really good team. To get on top of them and get the win tonight is awesome,” Garza said.

The Birds will look to continue their winning streak against the Kettleers at Cotuit on Tuesday night.