16 August 2006

Crowell pitches playoff tilt

Harwich native Cody Crowell earned a playoff start Aug. 9 for the Brewster Whitecaps against Yarmouth-Dennis, but despite a strong effort ended up on the losing end of a 3-1 score. 

Crowell (2-2, 3.14 ERA) tossed a solid 7 2/3 innings at Stonybrook Field on Wednesday. The Vanderbilt lefty gave up seven hits, fanned five and walked one. 

The Red Sox scored twice in the first when Tyler Henley and Alden Carrithers reached on infield hits and Steve Strausbaugh tripled to right. 

Y-D’s Mike Taylor crushed an inside pitch in the fifth, belting the ball high into the oak trees in left. He also doubled in the seventh, but was thrown out at home by Justin Snyder. 

"This team likes to throw me inside, and I’ve been working on some things with my hands to get them in front," Taylor said. "I knew they’d throw a fastball, and I got it middle-in and I was able to do some damage." 

Brewster scored its lone run off starter Nate Boman in the third when Snyder singled in pitcher Barry Enright, who was in the lineup as the designated hitter and had walked. 

The Whitecaps won the first game 4-2 in 13 innings Aug. 8. Brewster ace Shaun Seibert (6-0 0.39) and Y-D’s Terry Doyle (5-1 2.89, including a no-hitter) were locked in a scoreless duel over six innings of the first game when a long dispute over a balk call knocked Seibert out of the game. 

Y-D took a 1-0 lead but Brewster tied the game in the top of the ninth when Colin Cowgill and Mike Fisher walked, each advanced a base when David Adams grounded out, and Cowgill scored on a grounder to short by Trent Kline. 

Brewster grabbed the lead in the 10th when Andrew Romine, son of former Boston Red Sox outfielder Kevin Romine, singled to left. Justin Snyder followed with a double to center, and slugger Matt LaPorta was intentionally walked to fill the bases with one out. 

Enright, on as a pinch-hitter, lofted a sacrifice fly to right, giving Brewster a 2-1 lead. Y-D tied the game again before the Caps won it in the 13th. 

Trent Kline walked and Tavo Hall singled to right off Dan Turpin. The Red Sox called on Nolan Gallagher, but he hit Colt Sedbrook and walked Romine to force in Kline. Hall scored on a passed ball. 

Y-D won the series with a 6-5 victory Aug. 10 and took the championship two games to one over Wareham.