The Sandwich Enterprise
July 14, 2000
by Dan Crowley
Struggling, with a record of 9-12, the Kettleers hit double figures in the win column with a 7-5 win over Bourne last week. Chris Russ led the way going two for three at the plate with a walk. He stole a base and scored each of the three times he reached. Cotuit came out shooting putting up two runs in the top of the first. Starting pitcher Brian Sager blanked the Braves through three, while his team added runs in the third and fourth innings for a 4-0 lead. Bourne battled back in the bottom of the fourth to close the gap to 4-3. But, Cotuit jumped right back in front in the top of the fifth with three more runs to take a 7-3 lead. Kettleer lefty Erick Threets came on in the fifth giving up one run on two hits, while striking out one. Jesse Harper pitched an inning and a third in relief of Threets allowing Bourne another run on one hit and striking out one. Brian Strelitz finished things out for Cotuit pitching the last two and two thirds giving up one hit and notching a strikeout. Threets got the win for Cotuit giving him a record of 1-1 and Strelitz was credited with his first save. The Kettleers knocked out 10 hits. In addition to the two hits by Russ, Daylan Holt went two for four with a walk and had two RBI. Rob Cafiero was two for three with a walk. He scored a run and had an RBI. Matt Singer and Steve Ghutzman each had an RBI. Cotuit pitching gave up 10 hits, but stranded 16 Bourne base runners. The ten hits by the Kettleers made the difference.
Friday Cotuit’s Ryan Combs hit the Chatham lineup like a tornado, tearing them up, pitching a four hit 2-0 shutout. The Kettleers struck for two runs in the fourth. Brian Wright singled and stole second, then raced home on a base hit by Singer. A base hit to left by Russ scored Singer from second with the second Cotuit run. Combs allowed just four hits and walked two while striking out 11 Athletics raising his record to 2-2. The Kettleers had a total of nine hits. Wright went two for four at the plate and Russ two for three with an RBI. Combs was masterful on the mound, with the game under his control for the full two hours and 31 minutes it took to play. Bobby Korecky took the loss for Chatham. The win left Cotuit with a record of 10-12.
In Orleans last Saturday, the Cardinals turned pitcher Matt Incinelli loose on the Kettleers for seven innings of three hit shoutout baseball. Wright, Singer and Russ were the only Kettleers able to touch Incinelli for a hit. Shawn Weaver was on the mound for Cotuit and went six and two thirds innings giving up three runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits, while striking out four. Mike Hook added another stolen base to his league leading total of 15. Three errors in the game hurt the Kettleers as did leaving nine men stranded. Finishing up the week Cotuit stood at 10-13.
Unexpectedly, after a day off on Sunday the team received a second day off last Monday when their game against Bourne was canceled due to illness on the Braves team.
Tuesday Cotuit dropped a 4-3 decision to the Commodores at Fuller Field. Brian Sager was on the mound for the Kettleers and held the Commodores scoreless through three innings before a four run fourth broke things open. Phil Ghutzman led off the inning with a walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Doc Brooks followed with the second walk of the inning and also scored when teammate Luke Scott launched a home run over the centerfield fence. A third walk and a wild pitch put Jarod Schmidt in scoring position for Kahlil Greene, who brought him home with a single into left field for the fourth run of the inning. Cotuit rallied in the top of the fifth. A lead off walk to Anthony Perkiss and a single to center by Matt Longo put runners at first and second for hook, who singled to right to load the bases. Russ then grounded into a fielders choice scoring Perkiss with the first Cotuit run of the game. Holt then fouled out to Scott at first base, who Longo surprised with a tag at third and a dash for the plate, scoring the second run of the inning. Cafiero followed with a sharp grounder to short, but the throw to first wasn’t handled by Scott allowing Russ to cross the plate with the third Cotuit run. After sending eight men to the plate the rally died leaving two men on base and Falmouth still in the lead 4-3. Jesse Harper came on in the bottom of the fifth in relief of Sager and shutdown the Commodores, striking out five. Nick Glaser came in the face the final batter in the bottom of the eighth striking him out. The Kettleers threatened, getting runners on first and second in the seventh, but were unable to move then along. Philip Barzilla got the win for Falmouth improving his record to 2-1, while Sager took the loss dropping to 0-2.