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Chatham beats Orleans 8-4 for Fourth of July victory
CHATHAM, Mass. — There aren’t too many things the Chatham Anglers want to remember from Friday’s loss to Orleans.
Sure, the A’s put nine runs across and came back from down by five to tie the game in the ninth inning. But it’s hard to find anything redeeming about allowing 21 hits and 10 runs to an Orleans team that previously ranked last in the league in scoring.
Thankfully, though, they didn’t have to wait long for their opportunity for revenge. On the Fourth of July at Veterans Field, the Anglers squared off with Orleans again. This time, the scoring shouldn’t have been a problem. Not with Chatham’s ace, Angel Cervantes (UCLA), getting the start for the first time since June 23.
And while Cervantes tossed just four innings for Chatham, he did just enough to exit the game with a healthy lead. His start paved the way for Chatham’s (9-7-2, East) 8-4 win over the Firebirds (6-12, East) at Veterans Field Saturday. It’s the first game in which the A’s held an opponent under five runs and 10 hits since June 28, and its first win over Orleans this season.
“They pitched well,” A’s manager Dennis Cook said postgame. “We give up one run, we got a good chance of winning. We score eight, we should have a good chance of winning.”
The Anglers ended up allowing four runs on the evening, but, as Cook alluded to, only allowed one through eight innings. That was partially thanks to another stellar start from Cervantes.
The right-hander entered the matchup about as sharp as pitchers come. He started his Chatham career with 9.2 scoreless innings through two starts and one relief appearance. But Orleans gave him a bit of trouble early on — at least, more than what Cervantes was used to.
Cervantes allowed three hits in the first two innings — one short of his season total up to that point. He conceded his first run of the year when Casey Cuminskey (Southern New Hampshire) singled to score Adam Magpoc (San Diego State) and give Orleans the early 1-0 lead.
This time, though, the Anglers offense backed Cervantes up. Chatham’s bats ignited for four runs in the second, all of which came with two outs.
Cole Johnson (Georgia) and Drey Barrett (Southern Mississippi) logged early singles before Armani Guzman (West Virginia) scored both of them on a single to center. A wild pitch from Orleans starter LJ Cormier (Auburn) allowed Guzman to trot home for Chatham’s third run, then a Bino Watters (LSU) single scored Rob Rispoli (UConn) from second.
“We got good players all throughout the lineup,” Cook said. ”You have guys that have hit everywhere they've been, so it's not a surprise to me. I expect them to compete and have great at bats.”
The three-run cushion didn’t make things much easier on the other side, though. Cervantes allowed two more baserunners in the third but escaped the jam. He gave up two two-out hits in the fourth, too, but struck out Tyler Myatt (Tennessee) to end the frame.
“It's good to have somebody that, every five or six days, is gonna give you a solid start,” Cook said of Cervantes. “But I think as the summer goes on, we're gonna have other guys that are gonna step up and be the same way.”
That strikeout proved to be the end of Cervantes’ outing, as he was pulled for Christian Chatterton (Auburn) in the top of the fifth. But his offense left him a parting gift.
The A’s loaded the bases off of Cormier with a hit by pitch and two walks, which ended the starter’s night. Luca Alagheband (Harvard) took over, but a fielder’s choice and throwing error on a Watters ground ball allowed Barrett and Guzman to score.
So, Cervantes exited the game with his squad up five runs. And Chatterton gave the Anglers something the bullpen hasn’t been able to offer much this year — stability. Chatterton retired the side in the fifth before blowing through three more batters in the sixth and seventh.
“The new guys did really well,” Cook said of his bullpen.
Orleans’ bullpen didn’t offer it the same luxury. Chatham put two aboard on Alagheband with no outs in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Lichtenberger (Clemson) blooped an RBI single into shallow left-center to score Ty Peeples (Florida State). Then, Guzman followed it up with another knock of his own to plate Johnson from third and extend the A’s lead to seven.
Chatterton didn’t allow a baserunner until the top of the seventh, when he beaned Rowan Kelly (UCSB) and walked Myatt. But he induced a double play on a ground ball off the bat of Corey Nunez (UCSB) to end the inning, simultaneously ending a prime opportunity for Orleans to get back in the game.
Leo Odom (Ole Miss) kept things going in his Chatham debut. He toed the rubber to kick off the eighth, and promptly recorded his first two strikeouts. He loaded the bases in the ninth and allowed a trio of late runs, but it didn’t matter much. A miraculous diving play at shortstop by Cooper Neville (Alabama) secured the win.
So, in the span of about 24 hours, Friday’s loss was avenged. And the Anglers went home happy on the holiday — with a victory courtesy of the red, white and blue.
Sure, the A’s put nine runs across and came back from down by five to tie the game in the ninth inning. But it’s hard to find anything redeeming about allowing 21 hits and 10 runs to an Orleans team that previously ranked last in the league in scoring.
Thankfully, though, they didn’t have to wait long for their opportunity for revenge. On the Fourth of July at Veterans Field, the Anglers squared off with Orleans again. This time, the scoring shouldn’t have been a problem. Not with Chatham’s ace, Angel Cervantes (UCLA), getting the start for the first time since June 23.
And while Cervantes tossed just four innings for Chatham, he did just enough to exit the game with a healthy lead. His start paved the way for Chatham’s (9-7-2, East) 8-4 win over the Firebirds (6-12, East) at Veterans Field Saturday. It’s the first game in which the A’s held an opponent under five runs and 10 hits since June 28, and its first win over Orleans this season.
“They pitched well,” A’s manager Dennis Cook said postgame. “We give up one run, we got a good chance of winning. We score eight, we should have a good chance of winning.”
The Anglers ended up allowing four runs on the evening, but, as Cook alluded to, only allowed one through eight innings. That was partially thanks to another stellar start from Cervantes.
The right-hander entered the matchup about as sharp as pitchers come. He started his Chatham career with 9.2 scoreless innings through two starts and one relief appearance. But Orleans gave him a bit of trouble early on — at least, more than what Cervantes was used to.
Cervantes allowed three hits in the first two innings — one short of his season total up to that point. He conceded his first run of the year when Casey Cuminskey (Southern New Hampshire) singled to score Adam Magpoc (San Diego State) and give Orleans the early 1-0 lead.
This time, though, the Anglers offense backed Cervantes up. Chatham’s bats ignited for four runs in the second, all of which came with two outs.
Cole Johnson (Georgia) and Drey Barrett (Southern Mississippi) logged early singles before Armani Guzman (West Virginia) scored both of them on a single to center. A wild pitch from Orleans starter LJ Cormier (Auburn) allowed Guzman to trot home for Chatham’s third run, then a Bino Watters (LSU) single scored Rob Rispoli (UConn) from second.
“We got good players all throughout the lineup,” Cook said. ”You have guys that have hit everywhere they've been, so it's not a surprise to me. I expect them to compete and have great at bats.”
The three-run cushion didn’t make things much easier on the other side, though. Cervantes allowed two more baserunners in the third but escaped the jam. He gave up two two-out hits in the fourth, too, but struck out Tyler Myatt (Tennessee) to end the frame.
“It's good to have somebody that, every five or six days, is gonna give you a solid start,” Cook said of Cervantes. “But I think as the summer goes on, we're gonna have other guys that are gonna step up and be the same way.”
That strikeout proved to be the end of Cervantes’ outing, as he was pulled for Christian Chatterton (Auburn) in the top of the fifth. But his offense left him a parting gift.
The A’s loaded the bases off of Cormier with a hit by pitch and two walks, which ended the starter’s night. Luca Alagheband (Harvard) took over, but a fielder’s choice and throwing error on a Watters ground ball allowed Barrett and Guzman to score.
So, Cervantes exited the game with his squad up five runs. And Chatterton gave the Anglers something the bullpen hasn’t been able to offer much this year — stability. Chatterton retired the side in the fifth before blowing through three more batters in the sixth and seventh.
“The new guys did really well,” Cook said of his bullpen.
Orleans’ bullpen didn’t offer it the same luxury. Chatham put two aboard on Alagheband with no outs in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Lichtenberger (Clemson) blooped an RBI single into shallow left-center to score Ty Peeples (Florida State). Then, Guzman followed it up with another knock of his own to plate Johnson from third and extend the A’s lead to seven.
Chatterton didn’t allow a baserunner until the top of the seventh, when he beaned Rowan Kelly (UCSB) and walked Myatt. But he induced a double play on a ground ball off the bat of Corey Nunez (UCSB) to end the inning, simultaneously ending a prime opportunity for Orleans to get back in the game.
Leo Odom (Ole Miss) kept things going in his Chatham debut. He toed the rubber to kick off the eighth, and promptly recorded his first two strikeouts. He loaded the bases in the ninth and allowed a trio of late runs, but it didn’t matter much. A miraculous diving play at shortstop by Cooper Neville (Alabama) secured the win.
So, in the span of about 24 hours, Friday’s loss was avenged. And the Anglers went home happy on the holiday — with a victory courtesy of the red, white and blue.
