SOUTH YARMOUTH, Mass. – The Falmouth Commodores’ bats were rather quiet on Sunday afternoon, as the club was swept by the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in a doubleheader at Red Wilson Field.
Falmouth fell to Yarmouth-Dennis 4–1 in game one and 4–0 in the second contest. The Red Sox’s pitching staff was dominant in both games, holding the ’Dores to just one total run. The Commodores’ pitching staff also had a respectable afternoon, holding the opposition to four runs in each game and striking out a total of 12 batters.
It is important to note that during doubleheaders in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, each game is seven innings.
Game One: Falmouth 1 – Yarmouth-Dennis 4
This one was a pitcher’s duel early on, as neither club scored a run until the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Jared Lyons was dominant for the Red Sox, striking out 12 batters and allowing just one hit in 6.0 innings of work. Juaron Watts-Brown also delivered a solid start for the ’Dores, allowing just three runs on two hits in 3.2 frames on the mound. The Long Beach State hurler struck out five batters during the contest.
Pitching coach Mike Landry said that despite Watts-Brown picking up the loss in game one, he is impressed with how the right-hander has been throwing the ball.
“He’s got great stuff,” Landry said. “What we’re trying to talk to him about is just trusting his stuff a little bit and going after guys. … He’s eager to learn and he’s soaking it up, and I think we’re only going to see good things in the future.”
The Commodores were held in check during the first game, scoring just one run on three hits. Third baseman Brayden Taylor drove in the club’s only run of the contest, hitting a solo homer in the final inning of play.
Yarmouth-Dennis opened the scoring in the fourth, taking a 3–0 lead over Falmouth. Designated hitter Luke Franzoni drove a two-run double to center field, scoring Chase Meidroth and Caden Connor. Left fielder Jack Costello then lined a single to center, plating Franzoni.
The Red Sox tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending their lead to 4–0. Center fielder Homer Bush Jr. hit an infield RBI single to third base, bringing Hunter Haas home to score.
Yarmouth-Dennis went to the bullpen for the final inning of the game, after Lyons dominated through six innings. Taylor said he felt Lyons effectively used his repertoire against Falmouth’s lineup.
“I think he’s a pretty solid pitcher,” Taylor said. “I feel like he had a good breaking ball that was getting our hitters off-balance. I’ve got respect for him.”
The Commodores got on the board in the top of the seventh, as Taylor powered a solo homer into the trees beyond the right-center field wall. The third baseman’s third home run of the summer trimmed Falmouth’s deficit to 4–1.
This would end up being the final score, as the ’Dores were kept scoreless for the remainder of the frame. Right fielder Drew Brutcher flew out to center field to end the contest.
Click here for game one’s box score.
Game Two: Falmouth 0 – Yarmouth-Dennis 4
Falmouth struggled to get things going at the plate in the second game, as the team was held scoreless and recorded just one hit. Shortstop Alex Mooney led off the game with an infield single, and the team was then kept hitless for the remainder of the contest.
Josh Hartle started on the mound for the ’Dores in game two, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out a pair of batters. One of the runs the southpaw allowed was unearned. Jake Peppers was dominant in relief, holding the Red Sox hitless in two innings out of the bullpen.
The Red Sox wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in this one, taking an early 2–0 lead in the bottom of the first. Franzoni lined a two-run single to center field, allowing Gunner Gouldsmith and Meidroth to cross the plate.
Yarmouth-Dennis added a run in the bottom of the third inning, extending its lead to 3–0 over Falmouth. Meidroth drove in Bush Jr. with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Red Sox scored another run in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 4–0 advantage. Shortstop Cole Carrigg reached on an error by Mooney at shortstop and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
This would hold as the final score, as the teams would trade zeros for the remainder of the game. The ’Dores attempted to rally in the seventh inning by walking twice, but they were ultimately kept scoreless.
Landry said the team will look to turn the page in its next contest and get back into the win column.
“[It was a] tough day today,” Landry said. “Some of those balls just didn’t bounce our way, and [we’ve] got an off day tomorrow and we’ll get back at it with Wareham on Tuesday.”
The losses drop the club’s record to 5–8–1 on the season. The Commodores will return to action at 6 p.m. June 28 against the Wareham Gatemen, at Spillane Field.
Click here for game two’s box score.
Note: Featured image by Anders Saling.
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Click here for the 2022 Falmouth Commodores schedule.
Tommy Mumau can be reached at tmumau@ithaca.edu. Follow him on Twitter @tommymumau13.
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