FALMOUTH, Mass. – The Falmouth Commodores have tied up the series in the first round of the Cape Cod Baseball League Playoffs, defeating the Bourne Braves 11–4 at Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field.
The Commodores’ bats came alive on Friday night, posting 11 runs on nine hits. The victory was fueled by a big third inning, in which the club scored seven runs. Left fielder Jace Bohrofen helped lead the way, going 1-for-4 while driving in four runs. First baseman Jacob Walsh also had a big game, as he went 1-for-3 with three RBIs
Starting pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown set the tone on the mound, allowing just three runs while striking out eight batters in six innings of work. He said he was impressed by how the team competed in the elimination game, jumping out to a big lead early in the contest.
“It was a big game for us,” Watts-Brown said. “I think one of the biggest things is getting out to an early lead and trying to give the team a quality start. And putting up seven runs [in the] third is something [that’s] hard to come by. So, it was a great team win.”
Brayden Matthews was then solid in relief, giving up one run and fanning four batters during two frames out of the bullpen. Matthew Bohnert closed out game three, throwing a scoreless ninth inning.
The Commodores’ bats got going in the bottom of the third inning, taking a commanding 7–0 lead. Bohrofen opened the scoring by lining a two-run double down the left field line, plating Alex Mooney and Colby Halter. The left fielder said he felt that starting the rally helped shift the game in Falmouth’s favor.
“I think that was huge,” Bohrofen said. “Getting those guys in [and] being the first strike on the board there. It was just really big getting the momentum to go into our dugout and to kind of roll with it the rest of the inning.”
The ’Dores didn’t stop there, as right fielder Drew Brutcher then hit a ground ball that deflected off the glove of Braves’ second baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer before rolling into right field. The error allowed Bohrofen and Andrew Pinckney to cross the dish. Walsh followed this by driving a two-run double to left-center field, bringing home Peyton Stovall and Brutcher. Third baseman Anthony Mackenzie capped off the scoring by lining an RBI single to right-center, driving home Walsh.
Bourne promptly responded in the top of the fourth, trimming Falmouth’s lead to 7–3. Kuroda-Grauer dropped an RBI single just in front of Pinckney’s diving attempt in center field, scoring Christopher Brito. Designated hitter Joshua Moylan then lined a two-run single through the right side of the infield, bringing in Evan Sleight and Kuroda-Grauer.
The ’Dores tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending their lead to 9–3. Bohrofen hit a sacrifice fly with runners on second and third base, scoring Mackenzie, and Mooney also crossed the plate by showing off his speed. The shortstop turned on the jets to score all the way from second base, diving home safely ahead of the tag.
Manager Jeff Trundy said he was impressed by Mooney’s aggressiveness on the basepaths to put another run on the board.
“Alex [Mooney] never takes a pitch off,” Trundy said. “He just plays the game really hard and he is always going to look for things that allow him to get an extra base or something. Any type of opening where he can take advantage of it, he’s going to. … That was an exciting play, to say the least.”
Falmouth kept the bats rolling in the bottom of the seventh, making it an 11–3 ballgame. Brutcher powered an RBI triple off of the center field wall, plating Stovall. Walsh then drove a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Brutcher.
The Braves attempted to rally in the top of the eighth inning, narrowing their deficit to 11–4. Kuroda-Grauer hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield, driving home Mac Horvath.
Bohnert then secured the win for Falmouth in the top of the ninth, striking out Horvath to end the ballgame.
The victory evens the first round of the Cape Cod Baseball League Playoffs at 1–1, between the Commodores and the Braves. The clubs will return to action at 6 p.m. on August 6 at Doran Park, for a series-deciding game three.
Note: Featured image by Joe Cavanaugh.
Click here for Friday night’s box score.
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Tommy Mumau can be reached at tmumau@ithaca.edu. Follow him on Twitter @tommymumau13.
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