The Kettleers Take Playoffs Bid Down to the Wire

By Sean Walsh & Megan Kerr, Web Editorial Staff
August 6, 2005

BOURNE, MA — Could the 2005 regular season get much more exciting than this?

As if it were staged in a scene from Saul Bellow’s The Natural, the Cotuit Kettleers eked out a 2-1 win last night at Coady Field versus first place Bourne, as if aided by forces of nature. In a game shortened to just six innings, the Kettleers held onto second place in the Western Division with just two regular season games to go — today at 4:30 at home versus the Wareham Gatemen and tomorrow, Sunday, Aug. 7, at home versus the Hyannis Mets.

A rain, wind and lightning storm blew in from the southeast, causing a game delay with hopes of re-starting the game once the storm blew over. It did not, and umpires had to call the game “official” after six frames.

Falmouth’s win yesterday helped it climb to within two points of the Kettleers, as Wareham’s 20-8 loss to Orleans pushed it down to fourth place. Today, Falmouth takes on Bourne and the Kettleers host Wareham. The playoff possibilities change, quite literally, from day to day as the regular season ends tomorrow.

In yesterday’s game at Bourne, it seemed possible that the game would go on after the storm blew in, but the weather wouldn’t permit the game to resume, forcing the umpires to call the game and give Cotuit a big victory. With the win, Cotuit remains in second place and, more importantly, gets some momentum for its showdown against the Wareham Gatemen this afternoon.

Greg Reynolds (South Florida, 4 Ks, 2 BBs) pitched well for the Braves, but not well enough to pick up the victory as he now has three losses, giving him a losing record for the season. Cotuit was unable to do anything with Reynolds for the first four innings of the game, but in the fifth, their attack came alive to give the Kettleers the lead. Roberto Lopez (USC, 1 for 2 batting) and Emeel Salem (2 for 3 batting) each got on base to get the inning going for the Kettleers. Brad Boyer (Arizona, 1 for 3 batting, 1 RBI) then got the first run across as he singled with one out to drive in Lopez and move Salem to second. After a groundout moved Salem to third, Sean Gaston (Notre Dame, 1 for 2 batting, 1 RBI) hit the game-winning hit as his single drove in Salem for the second, and deciding, run of the game.
Clay Dirks (LSU, 3 Ks, 1 BB) pitched five plus innings for the Kettleers, throwing seventy eight pitches as he suppressed the Braves attack. With the win, Dirks now has three wins for the season, tying him with Daniel Moskos (Clemson, 2 Ks, 0 BB) for second most on the team. After getting out of a serious jam in the fifth inning, Dirks was allowed to come back and pitch the sixth, but he was unable to finish that inning. After a questionable baulk call moved the leadoff man to second and a single by the next hitter moved him to third, Dirks was not happy as he was pulled out of the game. Yelling at his team to “come on,” Dirks tried to pump up Moskos as he was brought in to try to get out of the jam.

After a single by Ty Wright (Oklahoma St, 1 for 2 batting, 1 RBI) led one of the inherited runners score, with no outs it looked like Dirks could be in for a no decision. Moskos though, got out of the jam with a fly out and two strikeouts, giving him his first save of the season. Though the teams acted as though they were going to continue playing the next inning, lightning that was spotted during the warm-up quickly put an end to that idea as the game never resumed after the sixth inning. Cotuit will head into their home game tomorrow against the Gateman with a head of steam as they know tomorrow’s match is extremely important for their playoff hopes. So come support the team as the game tomorrow should be quite exciting!