Starter Cory Luebke laid on a couch in the manager’s office yesterday afternoon, lazily watching the Red Sox-Rangers game on a TV, while talking on his cellphone to a friend from home. He was just taking it easy before having to put on his game face to play the Orleans Cardinals. He would soon be joined by Matt Nuzzo and Stan Widmann, who would banter back and forth about the game on TV, with Nuzzo showing love for his local heroes from Boston, while Widmann, a Texan, claimed the Rangers would be heard from before the day was over.

Luebke and his teammates were able to relax a bit more than expected, though, as a call came in before most of the players had arrived at the clubhouse that the night’s game in Orleans was being postponed. Severe thunderstorms had already come through Orleans earlier in the afternoon, dumping quite a bit of water at Eldredge Park, and with Tropical Storm Beryl expected to make an appearance sometime during the middle of the ballgame, the Cape League decided to put the night’s road trip on hold to a later date.

That gave the Commodores an unexpected day off one night after picking up a big win at home the previous night before the biggest home crowd of the year. On Cape Cod Five Cents Saving Bank hat giveaway night on Wednesday, the Commodores picked up a huge victory with a late-inning rally to defeat the visiting Harwich Mariners by a 3-1 score. Falmouth designated hitter Matt Nuzzo (Brown) had the big blow as he slammed a two-out three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to put the Commodores out front to stay. The homer was the third of the season for Nuzzo, and the first since the season’s first week, as he jumped all over a 1-0 curveball that hung.

The drive came against Harwich starting pitcher John Leonard (Virginia Commonwealth), who had been outstanding through the first six innings. Leonard surrendered just one hit prior to the seventh and had retired the previous seven batters in a row before coming out for the fateful frame.
The Commodores, whose only hit before the seventh was a fourth-inning single by first baseman Brett Wallace (Arizona State), had the makings of a rally to start off the big inning when Wallace was hit by a pitch on the arm and then right fielder Warren McFadden (Tulane) walked. With two aboard, third baseman Ryan Anetsberger (Illinois State) nearly beat out a sacrifice bunt for a hit, but was narrowly thrown out by Johnny Giavotella (New Orleans).

With two on, and one out, the Commodores needed a big hit in a bad way. Left fielder Aja Barto (Tulane) came to the dish next, hoping to at least deposit a fly ball to the outfield to tie things up, but Leonard knuckled down and came up with three big pitches, striking the big outfielder on a nasty breaking ball that froze Barto.

Up stepped Nuzzo next, and the Commodores’ part-time player came up in a big way. Pressed into service with Andrew Walker (Texas Christian) out of service with a finger injury, Nuzzo watched ball one sail high and then got a pitch he could handle. “I got a pitch I could handle and I hit it well,” Nuzzo said after the game. “It just feels good to be able to get out there and contribute to the team.”

After the Commodores took the lead, the relief pitching took over. Eddie Kunz (Oregon State) worked around a two-out walk in the eighth and struck out two as he held the lead for the team. In the ninth, closer Sam Demel (Texas Christian) was lights out as he struck out the side to record his seventh save of the year, fanning Brandon Guyer (Virginia), Andy D’Alessio (Clemson), and Antone DeJesus (Kentucky) in succession.
Bobby Bramhall (Rice) got the start for Falmouth and took a no decision, despite pitching very well throughout his six innings of work. Bramhall struggled with his control at times, but worked his way out of trouble each time he got it in, as he struck out four and walked four while giving up four hits. Harwich scored its lone run against Bramhall in the top of the first, as leadoff man Sergio Miranda (Virginia Commonwealth) walked on five pitches, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and then took third on a wild pitch. Hot-hitting Josh Donaldson (Auburn) then drove in the run with a single to left to give his team the lead.

Joe Paterson relieved Bramhall in the seventh and got the victory for the team, improving to 1-0 on the season. He struck out the first man he faced and then got a ground out before walking a man and giving up a single to Donaldson. He got out of the jam with a fielder’s choice before the Commodores came to bat and won in thrilling fashion with their rally in the bottom of the inning.

The Commodores are on the road tonight and tomorrow. The Commodores will be at Harwich tonight at 7 and then travel to Brewster for a 2 PM game tomorrow. Sunday the Commodores return home for a 5:30 PM game against division rivals, the Wareham Gatemen