A's Break Out Again, Defeat Falmouth
by Brian Clark, 07-13-2008
The A's replicated Friday's three home run display on Sunday in a 7-2 win over the Falmouth Commodores at Guv Fuller Field. Matt Zoltak was called from the bullpen to make his first start of the summer, and took the mound with a 1-0 lead after Grant Green scored on Kyle Seager's RBI double. Zoltak was solid through his five innings of work, getting more support in the fifth via a Yan Gomes single that scored Green. He departed after the fifth, as Falmouth got on the board on a Kevin Nolan sacrifice fly.
After hitting the ball solidly through the early stage of the game, the A's came alive in the sixth. Evan Ocheltree homered for the second time in three games to give Carmine Giardina a 3-1 lead as he entered the game. Kyle Seager went deep for the first time in 2008 in the seventh. Chatham added three more in the eighth. Gabe Cohen also joined the home run club with a two-run bomb to right, his first of the year. After Grant Green and Cory Olson singled, Kyle Seager drove in his third run of the game, as Green scored on his double.
Falmouth's best chance at a comeback came in the eighth, as Giardina loaded the bases with no outs. He rallied to strike out Jimmy Cesario, before inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play from Darin Ruf. The Commodores added another in the ninth, once again off the bat of Kevin Nolan, but it was not enough, as the A's won 7-2.
Matt Zoltak improves to 2-0 with the win, while Falmouth starter Nate Karns falls to 0-2 with the loss. Carmine Giardina worked four innings for his first save; the first save of the year from an A's pitcher other than Brad Boxberger.
The A's return to action Monday night for a make-up affair with the Orleans Cardinals at Veterans Field. The 7 PM start sees North Carolina freshman Matt Harvey taking the mound for his first start in 2008. Harvey has appeared from the bullpen in five games, working 5.2 hitless innings, allowing just three hits in the process. Coverage on chathamas.com begins at 6:40
