4 August 2006

Sun sets on the West, as East wins 7-2

There were some unexpected stars twinkling at the Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game Saturday at Red Wilson Field, including one who wasn’t even on the team. 

Mitch Moreland of Bourne won the home run hitting contest earlier in the day with 25, but he wasn’t on the West’s All-Star roster. However, with a heavy schedule of games Friday and Sunday squeezing the pitching staffs, Moreland was drafted to throw the sixth inning for the West. 

That was good news for Josh Satin of Orleans, who had just entered the game at first base. After teammate Matt Wieters clubbed a double to left, Satin pounded a pitch into the oak and pine trees in left-center, far over the fence for a two-run homer and a 3-2 lead the East never gave up on the way to a 7-2 victory. 

Good day for Satin 

"I was just out there, I wanted to get good barrel on the ball and hit the ball hard. I happened to get a pitch to hit," Satin said. "I drove it and it went out of the park." 

The whole all-star experience was a thrill for Satin, who plays his college ball at California. 

"It’s one of the biggest honors in baseball," he said as he signed autographs after the game. "To play in this league is an honor in itself. To play on the All-Star team is just a great honor." 

Satin’s home run won him the East MVP honors. 

"That’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing," he said. "So many of these guys will be in the big leagues, and whatever happens I played with them and was able to compete." 

Satin has made the best of his Orleans stay. 

"Just learning the right way to play has benefited me this summer," he said. "Playing out here with wood (bats), I can only learn about myself. You get to see your real weaknesses. With a metal bat, flaws can be covered up." 

The mental side is tough, Satin said. 

"You grow up hitting .500 in high school. Then you get to college, and a good season is .300," he said. "It’s learning to deal with failure. If you’re a .250 hitter here, you’re honored. 

Satin, who’s from Los Angeles, has noticed quite a few differences on Cape Cod 

"The lifestyle out here is different than back home. People like fish," he said. "But just talking with the guys on the team and getting to know everyone is great. There are guys on the team who lived on farms. I live in the city." 

Satin’s summer isn’t over yet. 

"I was hoping to make the playoffs and get a championship," he said. "We’re still not out of it. But it’s still a good summer." 

Double-duty aces 

The East also dipped into position players to fill in on the mound, despite having 12 pitchers on the roster, and they fared quite well. 

Luke Sommer of Y-D, who also played both left and right field, pitched 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball and picked off a runner. He was the winning pitcher since, Satin hit his homer while Sommer was in the mound. 

Brewster’s slugging first baseman Matt LaPorta was even more impressive. He relieved Sommer in the seventh after Brad Chalk of Falmouth and Jeff Rea of Cotuit had singled for the West. LaPorta got Sean Gaston of Cotuit to ground out to short to end the inning, then struck out Brett Bartles of Bourne and Reese Havens of Cotuit as part of a 1-2-3 eighth. 

"I haven’t pitched since freshman year in high school," LaPorta said. "I was just using a fastball. I was working on a slider in the bullpen, but I didn’t use it." 

This was LaPorta’s second appearance in a Cape League All-Star Game. He played two years ago as a representative of the Y-D Red Sox. 

"It’s a great experience," he said. "I got a chance to do it again. It’s fun." 

Brett Cecil, an actual reliever from Orleans, closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth. 

LaPorta’s Brewster teammate Justin Snyder, who started the game in center field, also pitched a shutout inning in the fifth. All told, the East position players tossed four frames of shutout ball against the best of the West, striking out three and giving up five hits. 

"We had some position players pitch for us because we ran short," East manager Kelly Nicholson of Orleans said. "And they picked us up. But this is a great group of guys, some of the best players in the country. I just told them to have fun and do what they do. No signs. Just watch them play." 

They played well. After the West took a 1-0 lead when Eric Farris of Cotuit reached second on an error, Chalk dribbled an infield single and Rea singled Farris home, the East came back in the bottom of the third. 

Chatham’s Reid Fronk walked before Sommer doubled to right and Snyder walked to fill the bases with one out. Antone DeJesus of Harwich flew out to left, scoring Fronk. 

Brett Wallace drove in Falmouth teammate Mitch Canham in the fourth, and the West led 2-1 until Satin hit his homer. 

The East added four runs in the seventh when Bourne right fielder David Cash was pitching. Sommer was hit by a pitch, and after Snyder walked, DeJesus doubled Sommer home. 

Chris Carrara of Chatham was walked intentionally to fill the bases, and Wieters singled to left, scoring Snyder. Satin hit a sacrifice fly to center, and Brad Emaus of Y-D singled Carrara home. 

DeJesus had two RBI to go with Satin’s three. Wieters had a double, single and walk. Shaun Seibert of Brewster and Paul Koss of Chatham each tossed shutout innings for the East. Brewster’s Will Atwood and Ricky Hargrove of Chatham each gave up a run, although Hargrove’s was unearned.