CHATHAM – Even though the seats were filled for the Chatham Anglers’ home opener, the crowd stayed silent bundled up in sweatshirts and blankets due to the cold summer nights on the Cape.
Why were they quiet?
The answer: Falmouth Commodores pitching led by right-hander Franco Aleman.
In his first start for the Commodores, Aleman was untouchable leading the ‘Dores to a 1-0 victory sinking the Anglers.
“I was a little nervous,” Aleman said about heading onto the bump. “I get nervous before games, but I just have to trust myself.”
The rising junior from Florida International threw two strikeouts with one walk, but only allowed one hit through five innings pitched. The weather may have helped the South Florida native.
“When you’re pitching, it’s kind of perfect weather,” Aleman said. “Compared to Florida, it’s really humid and hot. This is beautiful weather to pitch in.”
Falmouth and Chatham remained scoreless until the top of the ninth when Commodores third baseman Steven Moretto hit a sac-fly to deep center field scoring outfielder Austin Langworthy.
Moretto finished 0-2 with a walk and the only RBI of the game, while Langworthy went 2-3 with a baseball on balls in his first game back with the ‘Dores.
“I was just looking for something to drive,” Moretto said about entering the box before the sac-fly. “I had to find a way to drive in that run and I had to get it into the outfield.”
The Anglers (1-1) struggled defensively committing two errors. The ‘Dores didn’t have a single error.
“We didn’t give away a lot of free stuff,” manager Jeff Trundy said. “In a 1-0 game, that’s really important.”
Third baseman Steven Moretto exemplified strong fielding through four amazing plays at the hot corner.
“It kinda got me in the game early,” Moretto said about his defensive plays early in the contest. “It was kinda nice because it because I tried to stay locked in for every pitch.”
The winning pitcher was Falmouth right-hander Tyler Ras. The losing pitcher was Chatham right-hander Zarion Sharpe. Zach Brzykcy earned the save for the ‘Dores.
Ras had two strikeouts and one hit in one inning pitched. Sharpe tossed five strikeouts allowing one run in three innings pitched.
The ‘Dores (2-0) are the only team to remain undefeated in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
The Commodores will make up Tuesday’s rain out against the Wareham Gatemen 6 p.m. June 13 at Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field.
“As you go on and each game you play, hopefully you learn something in this league and I thought tonight was a good example,” Trundy said. “We need to keep going out, getting better every day and have fun.”
Click here for tonight’s box score.
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Click here for the 2019 Falmouth Commodores Schedule.
Maxwell Trink can be reached at mht42@miami.edu. Follow him on twitter @MaxwellTrink.
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