BFalmouth needed a win over Bourne last night in the worst way to keep their fading playoff hopes alive, and they came through, although it wasn’t easy. The Commodores had to hold off a late charge by the last-place Braves to secure a 5-4 win and improve to 16-18-1 overall. With Wareham (20-17) losing to Harwich last night, Falmouth pulled to within seven points of the Gatemen with a huge doubleheader coming today against Cotuit.

For six innings the Commodores could not come up with an answer for Braves’ starter Tom Farmer (Akron) as the starter gave up a leadoff single to Brad Chalk in the first and then set down the next 13 Commodores in a row and carried a shutout into the sixth. But, in the sixth, the Commodores pulled in front as Chalk led the inning off with a four-pitch walk and then was chased home when fellow all-star Brett Wallace (Arizona State), the Falmouth first baseman, connected on a two-run homer over the left-center field fence as he jumped on an outside fastball and drove it out the other way. 

The Commodores would then add three more to the tally in the seventh. With one down second baseman Matt Nuzzo (Brown) singled to right and then left fielder Aja Barto (Tulane) smashed a double to right-center to put men on second and third with one down. With the infield drawn in, Chalk chopped a single over the second baseman to score both runners and make it 4-1. All-star Mitch Canham was next and narrowly missed a homer to center as his double hit the wall on the fly, making it 5-1.

With two out and a runner on third in the bottom of the ninth, the Braves made things interesting and uncomfortable for Falmouth. Pinch-hitter Matt Weglarz (Missouri State) singled in a run to make it 5-2 and then reliever Brandon Copp (N. Illinois) walked the next batter to bring the tying run to the plate. Bourne right fielder Ty Wright (Oklahoma St.) just missed tying the game as he smashed the second pitch by closer Sam Demel (Texas Christian) to the wall in left, making it 5-4. Demel then put the game away by retiring Mitch Mooreland (Mississippi State) on a groundout to third. It was the first time all night the Commodores had retired Mooreland. Mooreland had given the Braves their 1-0 lead, which stood up for two-thirds of the game, by smashing a homer off starter Brandon Gomes (Tulane) in the first. Gomes was outstanding, going seven strong innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine and walking three. He got the win, improving to 2-2 on the season.

Earlier in the week Falmouth had two season-long streaks snapped. The Commodores had not lost a game to first-place Cotuit all season long, but came out on the short end of a 5-2 decision at Lowell Park on Wednesday afternoon. The night before Falmouth finally defeated Hyannis, 7-3, after the Mets had been 3-0-1 against the Commodores entering the contest.

Against Cotuit Falmouth could not get much going offensively against the red hot Kettleers. The Commodores were held to just four hits as Dave Duncan and Dan Runzler perplexed the Falmouth bats. Falmouth scored one run in the top of the third when Aja Barto, who had led the inning off with a walk, scored on a throwing error when the Kettleers’ shortstop, Reese Havens, threw the ball away while trying to turn a double play. That made it 2-1 at the time. 

The Commodores would tie the game up in the top of the fourth inning when right fielder Warren McFadden touched up Duncan for his league-leading seventh homer of the season, a shot that cleared the wall in left and tied things up at 2-2.

Unfortunately for Falmouth the score was not tied long. Cotuit got two in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-2 lead on an RBI sac fly by Sean Havens and a run-scoring passed ball. The Kettleers added another in the six on a bases-loaded walk.

On Tuesday night a six-run outburst in the third powered the Commodores to a 7-3 win over the Mets. Shooter Hunt picked up the win for the Commodores with an outstanding seven innings of four-hit ball in which he fanned 12 and walked just one.

Falmouth sent 10 men to the plate in the third. Andrew Walker drove in the first run with a single to left and then another run scored when McFadden reached on a bases-loaded error. Taylor Harbin followed with a two-run single to left and Ryan Anetsberger made it a 5-2 game with an RBI fielder’s choice. Harbin would then score on the back end of a double steal to make it 6-2. Falmouth added an insurance run in the sixth when Walker doubled home Mitch Canham.

Falmouth hosts Cotuit today for a doubleheader, with game one beginning at 3:30 PM and the nightcap set for 7. Sunday the Commodores return home for a 5:30 tilt against Wareham. Chatham comes to town on Monday at 7 PM.