By: Dylan Wilhelm – Intern
For the first time in 2022, the Y-D Red Sox are able to celebrate a victory after a thrilling 5-4 walk-off victory over the Orleans Firebirds.
After blowing a 4-1 lead in the top of the 9th, Mike Boeve made up for an error in the top of the inning with a walk-off single that scored Luke Shliger from second.
“That was a good day,” Field Manager Scott Pickler said postgame. “To come up big with two strikes in the 9th inning, great job by Mike.”
During pre-game warm-ups, there was pessimism about whether or not the two teams would be able to get a game in. The game in Cotuit had already been postponed and the radar forecasted a grim evening.
The sky cleared, however, and made way for the best Y-D performance of the young season.
The offense got rolling early, scoring four runs in the first four innings. Luke Franzoni hit his second home run of the season and Johnny Long hit his first, both of them hitting balls into the woods well beyond the center-field fence.
The duo had struggled up to this point, going a combined 3-26 over the team’s first four games. The breakout provided a much-needed spark for an offense that only scrapped six runs together in the first four games of the year.
“It felt amazing,” Long said. “Obviously not off to the start I want to be, but to have a swing like that means a lot. I could build off of that.”
Cole Carrigg continued his stellar start to the season as well, going 3-5 on the day. It’s already his fourth multi-hit game of the season and second three-hit game. He’s now 10-22 (.455) to start the summer.
Robison was stellar on the mound in his first start of the summer, going 4.2 innings and allowing just one run, striking out five.
“It felt good,” Robison said. “I commanded all my pitches well. Threw the changeup a lot which helped to keep them off balance.”
Kristofer Bow was impressive in relief, getting to the 9th without allowing a run. In the 9th, everything began unraveling for the Sox.
“The only thing not good about today was the top of the 9th,” Pickler said.
Boeve began the inning with an error after a tough hop on the infield hit. Travis Honeyman hit a two-out, two-run home run a few batters later to cut the deficit to 4-3. After Bow walked Nate Furman, Pickler brought on Owen Hackman to get the final out.
After a wild pitch moved the runner to 2nd, Pickler opted to put Jacob Wilson on with an intentional walk. Hackman then walked the next two hitters, allowing the tying run to trot home without a ball being put in play.
Despite the tying run coming around to score, Pickler didn’t budge postgame from the decision to put Wilson on intentionally.
“You saw the stats, would you have pitched to him?” Pickler joked postgame.
Boeve made up for his error and the tough top of the 9th with his walk-off hit, which sailed over the head of center fielder Travis Honeyman and allowed Shliger to score.
With the onus of the first win out of the way, both Pickler and the rest of the team, the entire team is looking forward to using this win as a springboard for the rest of the summer.
“There’s a lot to build off of today,” Long said. “We’ll continue to grow.”
The Red Sox now stand at 1-3-1, leaving them tied with the Firebirds for fourth in the East division.
Pickler is now just five wins away from becoming the manager with the most wins all-time in Cape Cod Baseball League history.
The Red Sox are back at it tomorrow at 5 p.m. when they host the Harwich Mariners at Red Wilson Field in South Yarmouth.
Injury Update
Pas Ferreras left Thursday night’s game in Harwich after taking a pitch off of his right hand. Pickler said that X-rays were negative, but a bone bruise on his hand will likely keep Ferreras out about 7-10 days.
We let the Birds get back into the game in the 9th, but Mike came through with the big Walkoff hit and sent
us home happy!!! We will build on this win and move on up in the standings. After the injury to Pas it was
great to see it was not season ending or worse and he’ll be back soon. Lets get win #2 today!!!
Gary