29 June, 2005

Mariners make waves in CCBL

The Mariners have slipped to second place in the East Division of the Cape Cod Baseball League. They were 6-3 after beating Hyannis 9-3 on Nantucket Saturday but they didn't arrive back home in Harwich until midnight.

The Rough Riders gave Bourne a battle Sunday in an early (5:30) game despite surrendering four runs in the first inning. Harwich battled back to tie the game before losing 6-5.

"We were one hit away," noted manager Steve Englert. "They played their (butts) off. This shows character. That was a great effort after we had a long day yesterday. We didn't get back till midnight. It would have been easy to shut it down."

Falmouth pounded several Harwich pitchers for 16 hits and 14 runs Monday night in Falmouth in beating the Mariners 14-6. The Commodores scored seven runs in the first inning off starter Danny MacDonald of Seton Hall and added four off reliever Nick Starnes in the UNC Greensboro pitchers Cape League debut.

Cody Crowell of Harwich High and Vanderbilt did toss a shutout inning of relief for the Mariners. The hometown product has been terrific for the Mariners this year with seven shutout innings of relief in five games; picking up two saves and a victory. Crowell has yet to give up a hit. You can't beat that.

The Mariners belted two home runs Monday, Jake Dugger blasted one in the third and Jim Negrych hit one in the fifth but Falmouth also hit two. Negrych (U. of Pittsburgh) was three for four to raise his average to .294 (10 hits in 34 at bats). The slugging second baseman has done a fine job. He leads the team with three home runs.

Scott Sizemore had two hits Monday. He's batting .341, tops on the team (15 for 44). The third baseman from Virginia Commonwealth has five runs and five RBIs on 11 games.

"We've been swinging the bat pretty good the last few games," Englert noted. "They're taking a better approach at the plate. Usually it takes two weeks. You can see the guys start to pick things up."

Mark Hamilton of Falmouth had four hits, including a homer and drove in five runs in the Falmouth victory, dropping Harwich to 6-5. Chatham (7-4) is in first place. Harwich is tied for second with Orleans. Y-D is 5-5-1 and Brewster is 5-6

The Mariners also spotted Bourne a lead Sunday night as starter George Kontos gave up two walks and four singles to the Canalmen. But Kontos (Northwestern) buckled down and held Bourne to two hits over the next four frames. Unfortunately, one was a two-run double to Bunky Kateon in the fifth, after Harwich had tied the score at 4-4.

Mike McBryde of Bourne made an over the shoulder Willie Mays style catch right in front of the 400-foot sign to rob Negrych of extra bases in the sixth.

"In any other park in this league Negrych's hit would have been out of there," Englert said. "That's no mans land out there. Balls go to die out there."

Kontos absorbed the loss. He's 1-1. Five walks did him in as four of the walkers scored.

"Greg struggled a little bit early with his command," Englert said. "You really need to throw strikes in this league. Walks will kill you. He didn't have his stuff but he battled."

Harwich got excellent relief from Matt Bishop for two and a third innings (see other story), Tim Lincecum, who has been brilliant and Blake Lalli of Gardner Webb, who's also been playing first base.

Lincecum (Washington) hasn't given up an earned run in 11 innings of work, he's struck out 17 and given up just two hits. Yet he's 0-1.

The Mariners got 10 hits Sunday, which was nice considering they were hitting .194 coming into the game. Northeastern shortstop Arman Sidhu had two safties doubling his season total, one was a long double that nearly left the park. He had a run and RBI.

"Sidhu is playing great defense and he came up with the big hit today," Englert said. "He got some quality at bats today. It's great to get him going."

Catcher Chad Durakis got his first hit of the year, an RBI-single to center. He's one for 12. 

Lalli singled in a run as did centerfielder Joe Hough of West Roxbury. Hough, of the University of Maine, is batting .214 (six for 28), which isn't bad for a temporary player.

Jake Dugger had three hits, two doubles and an RBI Sunday. His average has jumped to .267 (8 for 30) after a slow start.

Negrych and Chad Flack both homered in the 9-3 victory over Hyannis Saturday on Nantucket. It was the second homer for each. Negrych knocked in four runs and Flack drove in two. Adam Ottavino was the winning pitcher with five frames of work.

The Mariners beat Y-D 4-2 on Friday as Harold Mozingo pitched seven innings of three-hot ball for his first win. John Shelby knocked in two runs and Negrych and Hough has two hits each. Cody Crowell got the save.

Harwich dropped consecutive 2-1 decisions to Cotuit and Wareham last Tuesday and Wednesday. They wasted a brilliant two-hit 11 strikeout complete game by Lincecum on Tuesday, when the Kettleers scored two in the first on a walk, wild pitch, hit batsman and single.

Bunt singles

The Mariners are waiting on several players who could be here as soon as today. Catcher Brian Jerolman, outfielder Jared Kubin and infielder Brandon MacArthur were all with the University of Florida at the College World Series. Texas beat Florida in the championship. Two Arizona State men were still missing as of Sunday: pitcher Pat Bresnehan and infielder Joe Perschina.

In addition the Mariners lost two men: John Shelby, who was batting .318, and Sean Dolittle, who was hitting .278, to Team-USA trials.

"We're missing seven guys," Englert noted. "But I like these guys (the temps). It'll be tough when you've got to let them go. These temporary players have got character and they work hard. They do all the right things. That's the one thing about this job I don't like, when you have to let the kids go. I'll try and get them a place in the league."

Whether they've done well or not, once the contracted player arrives they've got to go. However, some always stay, when players sign major league contracts, don't show up, go home, get hurt. Some may return late in the year.

The hardest thing is you develop relationships, they make friends and start to bond. It's difficult. They've really improved, guys like Joe Hough, Blake Lalli, they do the little things. They take the extra base, move the runners over. They do all the things you ask," Englert said.