Cape League: Reed, Braves Squander Big Oppurtunities In Loss To Mariners

After winning games with late inning heroics the previous two nights at Doran Park, it looked like the Braves were poised to do it again as the ninth inning began with a 7-6 Harwich advantage.

Bourne took a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first on a Marc Krauss (Ohio U.) RBI single and a Jamie Johnson (Oklahoma) sacrifice fly. In the fourth, they added to their lead on a bases loaded two-run single by Ross Wilson (Alabama), but unfortunately for the Braves everything went downhill from there.

Thanks to a violent thunderstorm in the top half of the ninth and handful of errors, the Braves fell to the Harwich Mariners 7-6 and had no opportunity to leave the Mariners standing on the field. Lightning forced a 30 minute delay with one out in the top of the ninth and rain ensued, forcing umpires to call the game.

The sixth inning spelt trouble for Braves pitching. Bourne starter Nate Reed (1-2, Pittsburgh) began the inning with a 4-1 lead but left after allowing a run and recording only one out. Reed was responsible for runners on first and third when he was replaced by middle reliever Bob Revesz (Louisville).

After Harwich tied the game at four, Revesz was one pitch away from getting out of a big jam with two outs when Shaver Hansen (Baylor) hit a flare single to center on a 0-2 count, just over the diving glove of second baseman Pierre LaPage (UConn), scoring two and giving the Mariners their first lead of the game.

The Braves were finally out of the sixth when DJ Belfonte (Nebraska) was caught stealing, but another run had already come around to score when Revesz attempted to pick Hansen off first base.

Krauss continued to swing a hot bat for the Braves, tying the game up at six a piece in the bottom half of the inning on a lined shot to left field that scored Jordan Henry (Ole Miss) from second base.

The Braves didn’t make any noise in their next two at-bats, and the Mariners took advantage of a leadoff triple in the top half of the eighth off of Braves set-up man Dave Erickson (UConn). With one out, Hansen was the hero again for Harwich as he singled home the runner from third and Erickson picked up the loss one night after grabbing a win out of the bullpen.

The appearance was the 15^th of the season for Erickson and he now leads the Cape League in pitching appearances.

Bourne (16-14) remains tied with Hyannis atop the Western Division as the Mets fell at Wareham in dramatic fashion, 1-0. The Braves return to action Saturday when they head south to play the Falmouth Commodores at Guv Fuller Field.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?