5 August, 2004

Y-D Red Sox are Sprinting to the Finish Line

     There will be a race for the post season in the East after all. 

     Life looked rosy for the Y-D Red Sox and Brewster Whitecaps not so long ago as they held an eight-point bulge (42-34) over the competition as recently as Sunday morning. 

     Harwich, Chatham and Orleans had to heat up big time or start planing their trips home. Well the Cardinals have taken flight, winning six games in a row, and Brewster has fallen into the deep freeze. The Whitecaps were happily in first (21-13) one week ago, with Y-D second (19-15) and Orleans in last (14-20). 

     The Whitecaps haven't won since, and after Tuesday's 8-1 loss to Y-D are only two points up on the third-place Cardinals. While the Red Sox haven't clinched the East Division title, they're playing well and are a good bet to be keep on playing after the regular season ends Sunday. 

     "We've stayed pretty consistent all year long," says Y-D head coach Scott Pickler. "It's team chemistry without a doubt. These guys like each other. We have no superstars, no prima donnas." 

     They may have no superstars but the Red Sox have plenty of stars. Catcher Frank Curreri is batting .305 with two homers and 15 RBI. Second basemen Joe Anthonsen leads the Cape League in runs scored with 32. He's batting .242 but has 30 hits and 25 walks, so he gets on base. Matt LaPorta is second in the league with nine homers and leads the Sox with 20 RBI. All-Star shortstop Ryan Rohlinger has played terrific defense. 

     "This league is made up of pitching and defense," Pickler says. "But it helps if you hit pretty good." 

     Y-D has hit. Its small home field tends to boost the power statistics, but the team has swung the lumber on the road as well. 

     "We've played pretty good defense," Pickler notes. "The pitching has been consistent. Again there are no superstars. But we've got a lot of guys who are doing a good job. We've got a great job out of our closers and the starters have gone far enough to keep the bullpen rested." 

     The Red Sox sport All-Star pitchers Justin Blaine (4-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 43 innings) and Justin Keadle (5-1 with a 3.44 ERA and 49 whiffs in 49 frames). Dan McCutcheon didn't make the All-Stars, but with a 5-1 record and 1.56 ERA he could have. 

     Josh Faiola (2-2, 1.27 and 8 saves) has been the chief closer. Brett Harker (3.38 ERA in 17 games), Blake Holler (1-1, 3.38 in 12 games) and Cory VanAllen (2.74 Era in 10 games) have been the main setup men. 

     "I'm happy with the effort they're giving, how hard they play," Pickler says. 

     McCutcheon pitched a rare complete game Tuesday as Y-D bested second place Brewster 8-1, scattering seven hits and fanning five. Nick Moresi belted a two-run homer, his fifth of the year. Jim Rapaport also homered; it was his first, but he leads the league with three triples. 

     Sox catcher Ben Crabtree played with Brewster last year and has done a solid job for Y-D this year. 

     "Our pitchers are throwing strikes and keeping us in the game," Crabtree says. "And we have some guys who can hit the ball and that equals success. I think every guy we throw out there can throw strikes. They don't walk guys and with wood bats that's important. It's been a good summer. The team gets along well. We've got great chemistry and that equates to wins." 

 Whitecaps skid

     Brewster hasn't won in a week, losing twice to Y-D (8-1 and 7-2), to Orleans 6-5, Falmouth (5-3) and Chatham (6-1). 

     As manager Bob Macaluso noted, "The wheels have come off." 

     "We can turn it around," Macaluso promised. "We have to play better baseball. We have five games left and if we go 3-2 we'll probably get in. It's been an awesome summer, till last week I've been very happy with the team. We've got good personnel. It's just a matter of going out and finishing the job." 

     Orleans looked finished a week ago but the spigot has been turned on. They've beaten Hyannis (2-1), Brewster (6-5), Harwich (7-2), Wareham (11-0), Bourne (5-0) and Chatham (2-0) in the last week. The last three wins, all shutouts, were chalked up by starters Chris Nicoll, Dennis Robinson and Erik Averill.