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Chatham bats stymied by Bourne in 6-1 home defeat
CHATHAM, Mass. — Prior to the Anglers’ contest against Bourne Sunday, Braves manager Scott Landers was asked what he had seen from right-hander Quinn Holt (Utah Valley) before he was due to make his first start of the season. He wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Uh …” Landers said, searching for a way to answer the question. “Nothing.”
It was the most reasonable answer he could’ve given. Holt had been activated for the Braves on July 22, and in five days on the Cape, he had only made one relief appearance. He appeared in Bourne’s 12-2 run-rule loss to Harwich Wednesday, conceding three runs and recording just one out.
Holt — who made two starts for Chatham in 2024 — was a late-summer addition, recruited because of his availability more than anything. He gave Bourne’s manager no reason to have high expectations heading into his start against the A’s.
But on Sunday, as Holt made his return to Veterans Field, it seems Landers received far more than he bargained for.
Making his first start of the summer, the former Angler struck out seven A’s in five shutout innings for the Braves, sealing Chatham’s (14-17-3, East) 6-1 loss to Bourne (16-16-2, West) in the first matchup between the two squads in a month. After Orleans’ 8-1 victory over Falmouth, the Anglers have dropped further out of postseason contention. They now sit five points behind the Firebirds for fourth in the East Division standings.
“I have no idea,” Chatham manager Dennis Cook said when asked why Holt gave the Anglers trouble. “I thought we should have done a better job offensively.”
Early on Sunday, the Braves got the better of Chatham starter Gavyn Jones (Oklahoma). While he got Jon LeGrande to leadoff the game by striking out, and induced a groundout from Gavin Kelly immediately after, he still couldn’t escape the first unscathed.
Three consecutive two-out singles from Braden Holcomb, Ryker Waite and Cal Sefcik allowed the Braves to strike first. Jones escaped the jam by inducing a subsequent flyout from Drew Wyers, but not before putting the A’s behind 1-0 before their first at-bat.
“I thought (Jones) was better his last time, but he did OK today,” Cook said. “He didn’t have his best stuff, I don’t think.”
Anglers left-handed pitcher Gavyn Jones (pictured, No. 18) notched a five-inning start in Chatham's loss to Bourne. Jones limited the Braves to two runs (one earned) despite allowing eight hits. Photograph by Ella Tovey
Once the Anglers received that first at-bat, it seemed they’d erase the deficit almost instantly. Jackson Freeman (Northwestern) and Chase Fralick (Auburn) both lined singles off Holt, and on a subsequent wild pitch, they each advanced 90 feet to put two Chatham runners in scoring position with one out.
But in his final game for the A’s, Ashton Larson (Texas) couldn’t deliver with runners on. He struck out looking on a controversial third strike, and Roman Martin (UCLA) ended the inning in the following at-bat by grounding out to second.
The bottom of the second ended scoreless for the Anglers, though Holt limited them to even less offensive success than they saw in the first.
Isaiah Lane (San Diego) was the only Chatham batter who didn’t strike out in the 1-2-3 inning. His groundout sandwiched swinging Ks from Reed Stallman (Mississippi State) and Jake Hanley (Indiana).
In the following frame, Jones essentially gift-wrapped Bourne a much-needed insurance run. LeGrande’s leadoff groundout brought up Kelly, who lined a double into right to put a runner in scoring position for the Braves.
Bourne didn’t find another hit in the frame. Somehow, Kelly still crossed the plate.
Jones’ wayward pickoff attempt allowed the Braves’ right fielder to advance to third, putting him in perfect position to trot across home on Holcomb’s subsequent sacrifice fly to center.
Chatham’s starter finished his outing having given up just two runs in five innings, but his efforts simply weren’t enough to outmatch Holt.
“It just helps us whenever the game can get linked in like that,” Cook said of Jones’ performance. “Allow the bullpen to throw four innings (instead of) having to throw six or seven.”
The bottom of the third ended with two groundouts and a strikeout, another 1-2-3 frame for the Braves’ starter. And while Chatham found a baserunner in the fourth on a walk from Martin, even that sliver of offensive success was immediately tamped out.
As the A’s third baseman attempted to steal second with two outs, Bourne catcher Mark Quatrani fired a missile over to shortstop Ryker Waite, who slapped the tag on Martin with plenty of time to spare.
In the fifth, Holt struck out three consecutive Anglers to close out his stellar night.
“We were non-competitive offensively tonight,” Cook said.
Cook is not one to look at the standings. Though with six games left, time is running out for Chatham to trim its deficit in the East.
Facing Holt — who entered Sunday sporting an 81.00 earned run average — gave the A’s a perfect opportunity to build on the offensive rhythm they gained in a 5-4 win over Hyannis Saturday. Then he allowed just three hits over five frames, exacting his revenge on his former Cape Cod Baseball League club.
“Uh …” Landers said, searching for a way to answer the question. “Nothing.”
It was the most reasonable answer he could’ve given. Holt had been activated for the Braves on July 22, and in five days on the Cape, he had only made one relief appearance. He appeared in Bourne’s 12-2 run-rule loss to Harwich Wednesday, conceding three runs and recording just one out.
Holt — who made two starts for Chatham in 2024 — was a late-summer addition, recruited because of his availability more than anything. He gave Bourne’s manager no reason to have high expectations heading into his start against the A’s.
But on Sunday, as Holt made his return to Veterans Field, it seems Landers received far more than he bargained for.
Making his first start of the summer, the former Angler struck out seven A’s in five shutout innings for the Braves, sealing Chatham’s (14-17-3, East) 6-1 loss to Bourne (16-16-2, West) in the first matchup between the two squads in a month. After Orleans’ 8-1 victory over Falmouth, the Anglers have dropped further out of postseason contention. They now sit five points behind the Firebirds for fourth in the East Division standings.
“I have no idea,” Chatham manager Dennis Cook said when asked why Holt gave the Anglers trouble. “I thought we should have done a better job offensively.”
Early on Sunday, the Braves got the better of Chatham starter Gavyn Jones (Oklahoma). While he got Jon LeGrande to leadoff the game by striking out, and induced a groundout from Gavin Kelly immediately after, he still couldn’t escape the first unscathed.
Three consecutive two-out singles from Braden Holcomb, Ryker Waite and Cal Sefcik allowed the Braves to strike first. Jones escaped the jam by inducing a subsequent flyout from Drew Wyers, but not before putting the A’s behind 1-0 before their first at-bat.
“I thought (Jones) was better his last time, but he did OK today,” Cook said. “He didn’t have his best stuff, I don’t think.”
Anglers left-handed pitcher Gavyn Jones (pictured, No. 18) notched a five-inning start in Chatham's loss to Bourne. Jones limited the Braves to two runs (one earned) despite allowing eight hits. Photograph by Ella Tovey
Once the Anglers received that first at-bat, it seemed they’d erase the deficit almost instantly. Jackson Freeman (Northwestern) and Chase Fralick (Auburn) both lined singles off Holt, and on a subsequent wild pitch, they each advanced 90 feet to put two Chatham runners in scoring position with one out.
But in his final game for the A’s, Ashton Larson (Texas) couldn’t deliver with runners on. He struck out looking on a controversial third strike, and Roman Martin (UCLA) ended the inning in the following at-bat by grounding out to second.
The bottom of the second ended scoreless for the Anglers, though Holt limited them to even less offensive success than they saw in the first.
Isaiah Lane (San Diego) was the only Chatham batter who didn’t strike out in the 1-2-3 inning. His groundout sandwiched swinging Ks from Reed Stallman (Mississippi State) and Jake Hanley (Indiana).
In the following frame, Jones essentially gift-wrapped Bourne a much-needed insurance run. LeGrande’s leadoff groundout brought up Kelly, who lined a double into right to put a runner in scoring position for the Braves.
Bourne didn’t find another hit in the frame. Somehow, Kelly still crossed the plate.
Jones’ wayward pickoff attempt allowed the Braves’ right fielder to advance to third, putting him in perfect position to trot across home on Holcomb’s subsequent sacrifice fly to center.
Chatham’s starter finished his outing having given up just two runs in five innings, but his efforts simply weren’t enough to outmatch Holt.
“It just helps us whenever the game can get linked in like that,” Cook said of Jones’ performance. “Allow the bullpen to throw four innings (instead of) having to throw six or seven.”
The bottom of the third ended with two groundouts and a strikeout, another 1-2-3 frame for the Braves’ starter. And while Chatham found a baserunner in the fourth on a walk from Martin, even that sliver of offensive success was immediately tamped out.
As the A’s third baseman attempted to steal second with two outs, Bourne catcher Mark Quatrani fired a missile over to shortstop Ryker Waite, who slapped the tag on Martin with plenty of time to spare.
In the fifth, Holt struck out three consecutive Anglers to close out his stellar night.
“We were non-competitive offensively tonight,” Cook said.
Cook is not one to look at the standings. Though with six games left, time is running out for Chatham to trim its deficit in the East.
Facing Holt — who entered Sunday sporting an 81.00 earned run average — gave the A’s a perfect opportunity to build on the offensive rhythm they gained in a 5-4 win over Hyannis Saturday. Then he allowed just three hits over five frames, exacting his revenge on his former Cape Cod Baseball League club.
