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8 August 2006
THIS WEEK IN THE CAPE LEAGUE
Championship Week
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Brewster Outlasts Y-D in 13-Inning Thriller
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SOUTH YARMOUTH, Mass. – There was plenty of action at Red Wilson Field before the first pitch of the Eastern Division Playoffs was even thrown out, but the excitement didn’t stop with pre-game award ceremonies. In fact, it would continue for another four hours and seven minutes, as the game would take 13 full innings before the Brewster Whitecaps came out with a 4-2 win over the Y-D Red Sox in Game One of the best-of-three series. If there were an admission fee for games in the Cape League, then you could certainly say that the fans – all 3,551 of them – got their money’s worth.
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Red Wilson Field was packed for Game One of the Divisional Playoff
photo swilson
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Prior to the start of the game, former CCBL commissioner and president Dick Sullivan awarded starting pitchers Terry Doyle (Boston College) of Y-D and Shaun Seibert (Arkansas) of Brewster with Co-Pitcher of the Year honors and Joshua Fields (Georgia) of Y-D with the Relief Pitcher of the Year.
With the Red Sox leading 1-0 in the top of the ninth, Fields came in to close out the game, but walked the first two batters he faced and ultimately gave up the tying run to Brewster. Pinch hitter Trent Kline drove in Colin Cowgill on a ground ball to shortstop Buster Posey, whose only play was at first base.
Y-D couldn’t score to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, and the Whitecaps got to work quickly in extra innings. Andrew Romine (Arizona State) reached on a single with one out in the 10th, moving to second on a Justin Snyder (San Diego) single. After an intentional walk of Matt LaPorta (Florida), the bases were loaded for pinch hitter Barry Enright. Usually a pitcher for Brewster, Enright would not typically be the first choice to hit in this situation – but with limited options, head coach Bob Macaluso sent him to the plate and would not regret his decision. Enright hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Romine and take the 2-1 lead.
Y-D quickly battled back, though, as Alden Carrithers (UC Santa Barbara) scored on a Steve Strausbaugh (Western Carolina) double. The two teams then held each other scoreless for two more innings until Brewster came up to bat in the top of the 13th.
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Andrew Romine scored in the ninth,
but the game would continue into the 13th inning.
photo swilson
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After getting two quick outs, Y-D pitcher Daniel Turpin (Oregon State) walked Kline and, after surrendering a single to Tavo Hall (San Francisco), was pulled from the game after 3 2/3 innings and replaced by Nolan Gallagher (Stanford). Gallagher hit the first batter he faced to load the bases and then walked in what would ultimately be the winning run. Gallagher gave up one more run before ending the inning on a strikeout.
Y-D couldn’t battle back in the bottom of the 13th, as Brewster won the first game to take a huge momentum advantage with them to Game Two, scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Stony Brook School in Brewster.
The game moved quickly through the first 6 1/2 innings, with both Doyle and Seibert keeping the opposing teams off the scoreboard despite scattering hits, walks, and hit batters. Both teams had their chances early: Brewster left the bases loaded in the first inning and left two on in the third, while Y-D left a man on base in each of the first six innings and left two on in the seventh.
The game came to a temporary halt in the top of the sixth, when Doyle stepped off the mound to throw out would-be base stealer Colt Sedbrook (Arizona). The play was initially called a balk on Doyle, but then was overturned for the third out of the inning. Macaluso immediately came out of the dugout to challenge the call. After a lengthy discussion between all four umpires and league commissioner Paul Galop, Sedbrook was officially called out and play resumed.
Seibert left the game after pitching six impressive innings, surrendering no runs while giving up four hits and striking out five batters, though he also hit three batters. Will Atwood came in for the Whitecaps to start the seventh as the Red Sox loaded the bases on two walks and an infield single by pinch hitter Jordan Pacheco (New Mexico). Brad Emaus (Tulane) came to the plate and broke the scoreless tie with a single to right field. Only Pacheco would score, though, as Sedbrook threw out Tyler Henley at the plate.
David Robertson (Alabama) relieved Doyle, who pitched seven strong innings and left with a 1-0 lead. Doyle struck out four Whitecaps and gave up only three hits, three walks, and three hit batters. Robertson held Doyle’s lead – albeit temporarily – by striking out three Brewster players in a row.
By Kevin Wolfe, CCBL Intern [email protected]
Interns 2006 : Chad Burkart, Johnna DeChristoforo, Jonathan French, Michael Kydd, Lauren Malone
Adam McGillen, Nicholas Mucci, Courtney Reilly, Daniel Scalia, Shannon Taylor, Kevin Wolfe
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