Braves wash away Whitecaps, 2-1

Tiffany Seal

BREWSTER, Mass.—The Braves (11-7-1) came out atop the Brewster Whitecaps (9-10) by a score of 2-1 Saturday night at Stony Brook Field.

Offense struggled again, with the Braves leaving seven on base with nine hits on the night.

David MacKinnon (Hartford) singled in Mississippi State’s Jake Mangum in the third for the first run of the game.

That would be the only run until the seventh, which came by an infield single from Mangum to score newcomer from Florida Danny Reyes.

Starter Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt) went five innings, giving up one earned run off six hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

LSU’s Doug Norman came in relief and pitched 1 1-3 innings of one-hit baseball-walking one and striking out two to get the win.

But the player of the game was opposing shortstop AJ Graffanino (Washington) who went just 0 for 2 with a walk, but made up for his offense with his glove-making highlight reel plays throughout the night and robbing the Braves’ offense of multiple hits up the middle.

Magnum was one of the few able to outmatch Graffanino with his speed on the base paths to continue his hitting streak, going 3 for 4 with three singles, two of which were infield singles to short.

Connor Wong (Houston) and David MacKinnon (Hartford) both went 2 for 4. With MacKinnon snapping a two-game hitless streak with an RBI on his .500 night at the plate.

Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) had his second hitless night, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

The bullpen continued to hold the lead with Chad Luensmann (Nebraska) going 1 2-3 innings, without giving up a hit and striking out one.

Andrew Wantz (UNC Greensboro) closed out another close game, working a hitless ninth inning with one strikeout.

The Braves return home 6, Sunday to face the Wareham Gatemen (10-8.) Probable starting pitchers are Brett Conine (Cal State Fullerton) and Bourne’s Dominic Taccolini (Arkansas.)