By Kathleen Szmit
kszmit@barnstablepatriot.com

Hyannis’ boys in blue held the coveted number one spot in the Western Division for a brief shining moment during the weekend thanks to some super play and a little bit of luck.

Unfortunately the two losses that followed their three consecutive wins bumped them back to third with 11 points, just behind the Kettleers who have 12.

On Friday as the temps dipped precariously low for this time of year, the Mets eked out their first of three consecutive wins against the Y-D Red Sox with a final score of 7-6. 

Hyannis broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when their bats caught fire. James Darnell and Kiko Vazquez each had singles, with Patrick Long reaching first on a Y-D error. 

Shea Robin brought in one run with a nice base hit, and teammate Ryan Jackson followed with another that brought in two more runs, bringing the Mets to 3-0.

Not content to bow out, the Sox answered back in the seventh with two runs of their own to narrow the score.

The Mets added four insurance runs in the eighth and seemed to be cruising for the win; however, the Red Sox rallied following a 15-minute rain delay during which it was decided that due to the fading light the eighth would be the final inning.

Tension mounted when Mets pitcher Recardo Pecina loaded the bases before allowing a grand slam that brought the score within one. Fortunately Pecina grabbed a pop fly to end things moments later.

Saturday night it was all about Jason Franzblau who helped the Mets improve to 4-3-1 and snag possession of first place in the Western Division with his stellar pitching.

Franzblau gave up only one run during his seven innings, fanning five, walking another five and allowing six hits in 123 pitches.

Until the sixth inning the game was a true pitcher’s duel, with Harwich holding fast to a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, however, the Mets’ Scott Elmendorf led with a walk followed by walks from Darnell and Vazquez.

In an attempt to stop the madness Harwich switched pitchers, with the reliever striking out pinch-hitter Dan Brewer but walking Ryan Jackson, allowing a run for the Mets. 

With the bases still loaded, Dale Cornstubble hit a grounder up the middle. While Jackson was tagged out, Darnell was able to bring in the go-ahead run for Hyannis.

Newly permanent player Phil Bell helped Hyannis add an insurance run in the ninth with a single that brought in Jackson. Bell went 2-for-4 in the game and improved his batting average to .333.

On Sunday night the Mets battled the Cotuit Kettleers in game two of The Barnstable Patriot Cup, coming away with an 8-6 victory.

Vazquez slammed in a beautiful three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to give the Mets the lead in what had been a Cotuit-dominated game.

The Mets brought in three more runs later in the game, with two RBIs from Jackson and one in the eighth from David Macias. 

While the Kettleers rallied to within two, a base running error brought the final out of the game and secured the win for the Mets. 

Hyannis had a short-lived lead in Monday’s game against Falmouth but saw it slip away when the Commodores’ Matt Hague hit a two-run triple to give Falmouth the win.

On Tuesday evening a two-run rally was enough for the Orleans Cardinals to secure a 3-1 win that put the Mets back in third place. 

Macias scored Hyannis’ only run when he crossed the plate on back-to-back wild pitches. Bryce Stowell started his first game for the Mets, lasting five innings during which he struck out six, walked two and allowed two runs. 

At press time the Mets were scheduled to face Wareham at home, with another home game against the Western Division’s number-one Bourne Braves today at 5 p.m.