By Ben Strober
In the top of the sixth, Red Sox starter Smith Pinson forced an inning-ending grounder to complete a near-perfect start for the right-hander.
Pinson walked back to the dugout as he normally does, then he trudged over to the bullpen to get some love from his fellow pitching staff.
On that trip, the Red Wilson faithful gave Pinson a standing ovation to celebrate a Y-D season-high six scoreless innings.
Among that crowd was Ryan Coe, Pinson’s head coach at Kennesaw State.
“That was a super special moment,” Pinson said. “Great for [Coe] to see that.”
Pinson and reliever Hector Garcia dominated every step of the way, only allowing two baserunners all game.
“I had all six pitches working for me, and that helped,” Pinson said.
The Red Sox pitching masterclass sent them to an important bounce-back win over Bourne, as they blanked the Braves, 4-0.
“That was beautiful,” field manager Scott Pickler said. “That’s the best-pitched game we’ve had all year.”
Y-D’s masterful pitching notched its second shutout in six days.
“It feels great to keep things rolling,” Pinson said.
Pinson struck out seven Braves and allowed just two weak singles. His control was masterful, not walking a single batter.
“Both guys controlled the zone all game, and that’s the recipe for success,” Pickler said.
Pinson sailed through the first two innings, retiring all six Braves in order.
Pinson’s offense then rewarded him by coming through in the second.
Zander Darby started a two-out rally with a single off Braves’ starter Garrett Horn. Following a walk, Connor Dykstra ripped a liner by third to put Y-D in front.
That run support for Pinson bolstered his confidence, as he capped off perfection the first time through the Braves’ order.
“The guys had my back today,” Pinson said.
It wasn’t until two outs into the top of the fourth when a grounder snuck by the dive of second baseman Brady Day, ending Pinson’s perfection.
YD right fielder Casey Cook returned the favor to his starter and made an incredible all-out, inning-ending, diving catch.
Other than the lone blemish, Horn quietly put on a show in the early innings. Y-D struggled to manufacture rallies with him on the hill.
Pinson continued his Brave domination through the fifth. His strikeout total was up to six, and Y-D had no plans to pull him.
The Red Sox threatened with two in scoring position in the fifth, but Horn captured a pivotal strikeout of Hunter Hines to end the inning.
Nevertheless, Pinson’s dominance kept the Red Sox in front by one. After his 1-2-3 sixth, Pinson capped off his day with a standing ovation from the Red Wilson crowd.
Among those applauding was his head coach at Kennesaw State, Ryan Coe.
Following four-straight scoreless innings offensively for the Red Sox, RJ Austin finally added some cushion in the seventh, slicing an opposite field run-scoring double.
Yarmouth-Dennis added a second run in that inning on a super untraditional RBI single for Hines.
Hines ripped one to right, and Pete Ciuffreda’s diving effort came so close to a run-saving catch, but the umpire ruled he trapped it, and Austin scored.
Hines moved to third and scored after an errant throw from Bourne catcher Hugh Pinkney sailed into center field as he tried to gun down Darby.
Pickler called for Hector Garcia to pick up where Pinson left off. Garcia was masterful out of the pen, pitching a perfect three frames with four strikeouts.
“That was awesome from Hector,” Pinson said. “Three perfect innings, that’s hard to beat.”
The win serves as a nice taste of revenge over a Bourne team that bested them eight days ago.
The Red Sox made a CCBL record six errors in that 7-3 loss. Tonight, it was perfection from the defense.
“I don’t look back on that, these guys don’t look back,” Pickler said. “The guys who dwell on the past won’t make it in this game, they’ll get eaten alive.”
What a SUPER PERFORMANCE by Smith and Hector, our best pitching performance of the season and one
of the best I’ve seen over the years by our team. This group leads the League in K’s , WHIP and ERA!!!
With a big weekend coming up culminating Sunday at Cotuit, I expect this group to pitch us to the top
of the League where we will stay!!! Let’s have a big crowd on Sat at home and chher them on!!! GO SOX!!!
Gary