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Led by CCBL Alumni, MLB Record-Breaking Continues

Kolten Wong (Orleans ‘10) SportsPix Photos
10/16/2020 5:08 AM

Article By: Taylor Viles



The first inning bombarding the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered on Wednesday night was historic.  There’s no denying that.  The talent infused team decided that falling into a 3-0 hole to the Atlanta Braves was a spot they didn’t want to be in. Instead, they compiled 11 runs on seven hits in the first inning alone, taking four free passes by either HBP or walk and sending 14 batters to the plate.  

The onslaught of first-inning runs was led by Cape League alum Max Muncy (Wareham ‘10) when he launched a no-doubt-about-it grand slam extending the Dodgers lead to 11, and giving baseball a never-before-seen feat.

On the Cape, Muncy played in 40 regular-season games belting three home runs and 25 RBI’s. The lefty hitter has been a force for Los Angeles since his first season with the team. He garnered his first MLB all-star appearance in 2019 and finished the season hitting 35 home runs with 98 RBI’s.  

Muncy wasn’t the only former Cape Leaguer who made an impact during Wednesday night’s game.  Catcher Will Smith (Brewster ‘15) doubled in a run during the high-scoring first inning and Edwin Rios (Orleans ‘14) hit a solo home run in the inning giving the Dodgers their fifth and sixth runs, respectively.  The Dodgers walked away with a 15-3 victory.

With Orleans, Rios played just over half the season but made his presence felt.  His four home runs put him second on the Firebirds behind only current Red Sox Bobby Dalbec.  

The record the Dodgers broke on Wednesday for most runs in a postseason inning, came just last postseason when the St. Louis Cardinals compiled 10 runs in a wild first inning against, you guessed it, the Atlanta Braves.  

The game came in the fifth game of NLDS; a situation where the Braves were practically eliminated barely 10 minutes into the game.  The Cardinals, like the Dodgers, came out swinging.  They also sent 14 players to the plate.  Also like Los Angeles, the St. Louis hitting frenzy was boosted by former Cape League players.  

Tommy Edman (YD ‘15) gave the Cardinals their third and fourth runs on a doubled pulled just inside the first-base bag.  He finished with two hits and two runs scored.  Kolten Wong (Orleans ‘10) also hit a double scoring two on his second time up in the first inning.  

In their respective years on the Cape Cod, both players became stars which likely lead to their current MLB position today.  

In 2015, Edman helped to lead the YD Red Sox all the way to the Cape League championship, the teams second in as many years.  He hit .318 with seven doubles and 20 RBI’s over 39 games played.  Edman received an all-star nod that season where he recorded a hit in front of multiple MLB scouts.  In the championship against Hyannis, he launched a two-run home run in a must-win game two and added another RBI in the deciding game.

Wong won league MVP in 2010 playing for the Firebirds as he hit .341 over the season.  Although his team lost in the second round of the playoffs, Wong carried the Orleans offense in his 38 games played during the regular season.  His 22 steals ranked him second in the entire league.

The Cardinals ended up winning last postseason’s game against the Braves by a final score of 13-1, sending the Braves to the offseason.  At least this year, the Braves still have a chance to redeem themselves as to advance to the World Series, they only need to win twice.