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Game 9 Preview: Chatham vs. Bourne
CHATHAM, Mass. — For the first time in the Dennis Cook era, Chatham is on a four-game win streak.
The Anglers got off to a brutal start to the 2026 season, losing their first four games and — for a time — having the unfortunate distinction of being the lone winless team in the Cape Cod Baseball League. But that version of the A’s has been left in the past. This win streak began with a 15-run road win over Cotuit Thursday, and was most recently continued with an eight-run win over Hyannis Sunday.
Now, the red-hot A’s have a chance to make it five back at home. Chatham (4-4, East) returns to Veterans Field Tuesday to take on Bourne (3-3-2, West) for the second time this year.
Here’s everything to know ahead of the A’s matchup against the Braves.
Fortunately for Chatham, it’s bringing its best arm to the mound against Bourne this time around. Angel Cervantes (UCLA) undoubtedly had the strongest Cape League debut of any Chatham pitcher this summer, tossing five no-hit innings in the A’s 4-1 loss to Yarmouth-Dennis. He wasn’t alone on the mound, either. Jerry, his two-inch miniature toy gray dinosaur, sat alongside him on the bump, and will likely return to Veterans Field Tuesday.
Will Whelan (Minnesota), Bourne’s starter, has been much better on the Cape than at college. In his three seasons with the Golden Gophers, he struggled to the tune of a 6.75 earned run average, and made just one start in 49 appearances. But with Bourne in 2025, he put up a sterling 1.31 mark in his 20.2 innings out of the bullpen for the Braves. He’s continued that success into this summer, striking out five across three innings in his first 2026 start.
Keep an eye on anyone with the last name Costello.
At first base, there’s Luke Costello, who’s coming off an incredible sophomore campaign at Wake Forest. He blasted 17 home runs and had a 1.082 OPS as a starter for the Demon Deacons this past spring. After playing one game for the Braves last summer, he returned to Bourne for an extended stay, and has begun his summer with five runs and a .734 OPS in his six games of action.
Behind the dish, there’s his younger — but possibly more dangerous — brother, Andrew Costello, the freshman from Wake Forest who has torn the Cape up to start his summer. He only had a .703 OPS this past spring for the Demon Deacons, but has added over 500 points to that mark so far this summer. His 1.225 OPS, .462 batting average and 12 hits all lead the Cape so far.
Now that Jacob Parker (Mississippi State) is gone, Bino Watters (LSU) is the best chance that Anglers fans have at seeing a future SEC superstar. Adjusting to the collegiate game has been far from an issue for the sophomore — he hit for a 1.026 OPS across his two seasons at Notre Dame — and adjusting to the Cape hasn’t been hard for him, either. He’s made pitchers work at the plate, drawing six walks, and that’s a massive reason why he sports a .762 OPS right now.
Only two players have hit a home run for the Chatham Anglers this season. Gabe Fraser (Florida State/Transfer) was the first. The third baseman crushed two for Chatham in its first win of the season. The second is Cooper Neville (Alabama). The A’s primary shortstop has been red-hot over the Anglers’ past five games, hitting for a .500 batting average in that span. His hot stretch was punctuated by a long ball in Chatham’s win over Hyannis Sunday.
For as troubled as they looked when these teams first faced off, the Anglers’ bats have turned over a new leaf since then. Chatham leads the Cape with a .257 batting average right now, perhaps the biggest sign of how things are going at the plate for the A’s.
Bourne, for those keeping track, ranks fourth in the league with a .240 batting average. After the performances these teams put up on Opening Day, it would’ve been hard to fathom a world where that was the case. But the Anglers are hitting like the Cape’s best offense.
Bourne is the second team — after Cotuit — that Chatham has faced twice this summer. The two squads first faced off on Opening Day, where the Anglers lost 5-1 at the Braves’ Doran Park. Lefty Rhys Bowie (Wake Forest) took the mound for Bourne on June 13, and carved through the A’s lineup in four one-run innings of work.
Chatham struck out 13 times on the day, had two hits — none for extra bases — and gave up seven hits to the Braves. Gavin Guidry (LSU), the Anglers’ Opening Day starter, allowed runs in each of the four innings which he appeared in that day.
The Anglers got off to a brutal start to the 2026 season, losing their first four games and — for a time — having the unfortunate distinction of being the lone winless team in the Cape Cod Baseball League. But that version of the A’s has been left in the past. This win streak began with a 15-run road win over Cotuit Thursday, and was most recently continued with an eight-run win over Hyannis Sunday.
Now, the red-hot A’s have a chance to make it five back at home. Chatham (4-4, East) returns to Veterans Field Tuesday to take on Bourne (3-3-2, West) for the second time this year.
Here’s everything to know ahead of the A’s matchup against the Braves.
Probable Starters
Fortunately for Chatham, it’s bringing its best arm to the mound against Bourne this time around. Angel Cervantes (UCLA) undoubtedly had the strongest Cape League debut of any Chatham pitcher this summer, tossing five no-hit innings in the A’s 4-1 loss to Yarmouth-Dennis. He wasn’t alone on the mound, either. Jerry, his two-inch miniature toy gray dinosaur, sat alongside him on the bump, and will likely return to Veterans Field Tuesday.
Will Whelan (Minnesota), Bourne’s starter, has been much better on the Cape than at college. In his three seasons with the Golden Gophers, he struggled to the tune of a 6.75 earned run average, and made just one start in 49 appearances. But with Bourne in 2025, he put up a sterling 1.31 mark in his 20.2 innings out of the bullpen for the Braves. He’s continued that success into this summer, striking out five across three innings in his first 2026 start.
Bourne Players To Watch
Keep an eye on anyone with the last name Costello.
At first base, there’s Luke Costello, who’s coming off an incredible sophomore campaign at Wake Forest. He blasted 17 home runs and had a 1.082 OPS as a starter for the Demon Deacons this past spring. After playing one game for the Braves last summer, he returned to Bourne for an extended stay, and has begun his summer with five runs and a .734 OPS in his six games of action.
Behind the dish, there’s his younger — but possibly more dangerous — brother, Andrew Costello, the freshman from Wake Forest who has torn the Cape up to start his summer. He only had a .703 OPS this past spring for the Demon Deacons, but has added over 500 points to that mark so far this summer. His 1.225 OPS, .462 batting average and 12 hits all lead the Cape so far.
Chatham Players To Watch
Now that Jacob Parker (Mississippi State) is gone, Bino Watters (LSU) is the best chance that Anglers fans have at seeing a future SEC superstar. Adjusting to the collegiate game has been far from an issue for the sophomore — he hit for a 1.026 OPS across his two seasons at Notre Dame — and adjusting to the Cape hasn’t been hard for him, either. He’s made pitchers work at the plate, drawing six walks, and that’s a massive reason why he sports a .762 OPS right now.
Only two players have hit a home run for the Chatham Anglers this season. Gabe Fraser (Florida State/Transfer) was the first. The third baseman crushed two for Chatham in its first win of the season. The second is Cooper Neville (Alabama). The A’s primary shortstop has been red-hot over the Anglers’ past five games, hitting for a .500 batting average in that span. His hot stretch was punctuated by a long ball in Chatham’s win over Hyannis Sunday.
Number To Know: .257
For as troubled as they looked when these teams first faced off, the Anglers’ bats have turned over a new leaf since then. Chatham leads the Cape with a .257 batting average right now, perhaps the biggest sign of how things are going at the plate for the A’s.
Bourne, for those keeping track, ranks fourth in the league with a .240 batting average. After the performances these teams put up on Opening Day, it would’ve been hard to fathom a world where that was the case. But the Anglers are hitting like the Cape’s best offense.
Last Time They Played
Bourne is the second team — after Cotuit — that Chatham has faced twice this summer. The two squads first faced off on Opening Day, where the Anglers lost 5-1 at the Braves’ Doran Park. Lefty Rhys Bowie (Wake Forest) took the mound for Bourne on June 13, and carved through the A’s lineup in four one-run innings of work.
Chatham struck out 13 times on the day, had two hits — none for extra bases — and gave up seven hits to the Braves. Gavin Guidry (LSU), the Anglers’ Opening Day starter, allowed runs in each of the four innings which he appeared in that day.
