Normally when a team receives a combined no-hitter from its pitching staff, it is a reason to rejoice. Falmouth was certainly excited that four of its hurlers did exactly that in the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader at Braves Field in Bourne, but it did not lessen the sting of a disappointing game-one defeat at the hands of the last-place Braves, which could go a long way in keeping the local club out of the 2006 Cape League playoffs (see accompanying story). 

That game-one loss stung for Falmouth as the team squandered a late lead to allow the Bourne Braves to win just their eighth game of the season, which guaranteed the Braves that they will not go down in CCBL history tied with last year’s Hyannis club for the fewest wins during the modern era. The Commodores still have a chance to beat out Wareham for the final playoff spot, but it will take a lot of help at this point. Cotuit has already wrapped up first place.

On a day that saw the heat index at Braves Field climb well over 100 degrees, the Commodores rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the middle innings to take the lead in the seventh. The team got one back to make it 4-3 in the fifth when Brad Chalk (Clemson) drove in Taylor Harbin (Clemson) with a sacrifice fly to right. The Commodores, though, would leave the bases loaded in that inning.

In the seventh, the team pushed two across to take the lead. It all began when Stan Widmann (Clemson) was walked to lead the frame off. Chalk bunted him into scoring position and then Widmann took third on a groundout by Mitch Canham (Oregon State), who had his 10-game hit streak snapped in the loss. Andrew Walker (Texas Christian) was the next man to the plate for Falmouth and crushed a double to left-center that tied the game at 4-4. Brett Wallace (Arizona State) was next and put Falmouth on top with a single to right, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Reliever Tom Curran (Fordham) came out of the pen in the seventh for Falmouth and simply could not get any outs. Curran faced three men and quickly loaded the bases as batters sandwiched a couple of singles around a base on balls. That was it for Curran, and the Commodores summoned hard-throwing Ed Kunz (Oregon State) out of the pen.

Kunz saw the Braves tie the game up right away. The first man he faced hit into a fielder’s choice that made it 5-5. The next batter, Andy Goff, put Bourne ahead with a safety squeeze that made it a 6-5 game. Kunz then got a fly out to retire the side, but the damage was done and the Braves had the lead.

Falmouth had chances in the eighth and ninth, but could not cash in. In the eighth, with one down, Harbin singled up the middle, and then Ryan Anetsberger (Illinois State) was hit by a pitch to give the team two aboard. Unfortunately, though, Jeremy Farrell (Virginia) flew out to right and then Widmann grounded out to third to end the frame, stranding a man at third.

In the ninth, Chalk led off with an infield single but then was thrown out attempting to steal second with Canham at the plate. Canham would then go down on strikes, and then Mitch Moreland closed out the Commodores by getting Walker to ground out to third.

Game two saw the Commodores toss four pitchers at Bourne and keep the home team from acquiring a single base hit as Falmouth took a 5-0 decision. Sean Morgan (Tulane), who worked innings five and six, got the victory for Falmouth. Starter Kris Dobrowiecki (Northeastern) worked the first four for the Commodores and had his best outing of the summer, retiring the first six batters of the game. He would allow walks in the third and fourth innings, but never saw a man advance further than first base.

Morgan had issues with control during his two frames, walking three, but never let one of those men cross the plate. Bourne’s Ty Wright did make it as far as third in the sixth, but Morgan ended that threat by getting Brett Bartles to ground out to short. Brandon Copp (N. Illinois) and Sam Demel worked innings seven and eight respectively to close things out. The game was halted after eight innings as a severe thunderstorm entered the area just as the ninth inning was about to begin.

Falmouth wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the game, putting two across in the top of the first. Chalk led off with a single and then scored when Canham blasted a triple to right-center. Wallace would then drive in Canham with a fielder’s choice.