By Lance Reynolds
When Y-D Red Sox starting pitcher Josh McMinn retired the first two batters of the bottom of the fifth inning, it seemed like the Red Sox offense was going to be presented with another chance to chip away at their 3-2 deficit.
However, that chance was decimated when the Bourne Braves rattled off three runs in the inning and Y-D?s bats went quite in the sixth and seventh in a 6-2 loss in the first game of Thursday?s doubleheader at Doran Park.
With two outs in the fifth, McMinn gave up a walk then hit a batter putting Braves runners on first and second. Bourne?s cleanup hitter Zach Susi brought in the fourth Braves run on a single to right field.
McMinn was replaced by Tanner Graham, who allowed consecutive run-producing singles to Lyle Lin and Grant Witherspoon increasing the Bourne lead to 6-2.
It looked like the Braves were going to score a couple more runs when Andrew Fregia drove a deep fly ball to the centerfield warning track, but Kyle Isbel made a terrific running back, diving catch to get the Red Sox out of the inning.
McMinn was touched for all three of the runs and earned the loss.
In the top of the second, the Y-D offense carried over Wednesday?s hot hitting when they plated two runs to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Isbel brought in Alex McKenna from third, who reached on a leadoff triple, for the first run. Isbel scored the final Red Sox run of the game on a Luke Miller sacrifice fly.
Bourne responded in the bottom of the second with a game-winning three runs on three hits.
Christian Koss stroked three singles in all three of his at-bats, and he is now 5-5 in his last five appearances at the plate.
Y-D (8-6-1) will be back at Red Wilson Field Friday to take on Bourne. First pitch is 5:00 p.m.
