Written by Kathleen Szmit
 
     After dropping three consecutive games this week the Cotuit Kettleers roared to life to beat the Bourne Braves 10-5 on Wednesday but are now in a three-way tie for first in the Western Division with Hyannis and Bourne.

     Monday evening’s game seemed to be a summary of Cotuit’s streak bad luck preceding the Bourne game. Although three Kettleers hit fence-clearing homeruns, the bombs weren’t enough to down the Chatham A’s, who came away with a 7-4 win at Lowell Park.

Chatham hit the scoreboard early, recording its first run of the game midway through the first inning when Cory Olson crossed the plate on a hit from Kyle Seager.

While Cotuit had a hit in its half of the inning, a nice double from Jason Kipnis straight to center field, Kettleer Mike Bianucci grounded out and a double play took out both Jeff Kobernus and Kipnis, stranding Kevin Patterson.

Chatham hit the board again in the third after Olson, who took base after being hit by a pitch from Nate Garcia, came home on a double from Kyle Bellows.

Kevin Patterson rallied the crowd in Cotuit’s fourth when he clocked the first of the Kettleers’ three homers, sending his hit over the right field fence to put his team on the scoreboard.

The Kettleers struggled in the fifth, recording three errors and allowing Chatham to plate three more runs in the game to bring the score to 5-1.

Cotuit’s next run came on another homer, this time from catcher-pitcher Robert Stock, his first of the season.

Kettleers’ relief pitcher Daniel Wolford, who took over for Garcia in the fifth, kept Chatham scoreless in the sixth and seventh, while Cotuit managed to bring in two more runs in the seventh.

Dallas Poulk kicked off the Kettleers’ at-bat with a solid double to left center before advancing to third on a groundout by Stock. Poulk scored on another groundout by Kipnis. Cotuit’s fourth run came on a powerful homer from Mike Bianucci to put Cotuit back in the game with a score of 5-4.

Hopes of a rally unraveled in the eighth, though, when Chatham was able to capitalize on Wolford’s struggles and score two more runs, giving the A’s an unshakeable lead over the Kettleers.

Kipnis went 1-for-3 with a walk, Patterson 1-for-3 with a homer.

Stock and Bianucci went 1-for-4, each with a homerun, while Poulk also went 1-for-4 with one run.

At press time Cotuit was tied for first place in the Western Division with Hyannis and Bourne, each having 24 points in the race to the top. Cotuit was set to battle Wareham, with a game tonight in Falmouth at 7 p.m.