Resilient Braves Come Back For Another Win

Resilient Braves Come Back For Another Win

By: Jacob Janower

For the second consecutive night, the Bourne Braves were able to overcome a deficit in the early innings to squeak out a win.

In Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Cotuit Kettleers (16-15-1), the Braves (17-15) climbed back into first place in the West Division by one point. The victory signified a four-point swing in the standings, as a loss would have set the Braves three points behind Cotuit.

The fifth inning made all the difference, as that is when the Braves offense flipped a switch and drove runs in, rather than stranding them on base.

After starting out 0-for-7 in the first four innings with runners in scoring position, Lyle Lin (Arizona State) jolted the bats with a two-run single and Zac Susi (Connecticut) tied the game with a single through the hole on the right side. Susi is now 5-for-9 in three games against the Kettleers.

Grant Witherspoon (Tulane) scored the winning run on a passed ball by catcher Ivan Gonzalez (West Virginia).

“It’s been awesome, to see when we get down, they just keep coming,” pitcher P.J. Poulin (Connecticut) said. “I hope we can keep it going.”

Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State) would go on to add an insurance run in the seventh with his second home run in as many games.

Hess Struggles in Second Go-Around

After an impressive first inning, Zack Hess (LSU) gave up single tallies in the second, third, and fourth inning.

Most of his struggles were due to his occasional lack of command, as he found himself often working behind in the count.

He had tossed 3 and 2/3 scoreless innings in his first start.

In total, Hess walked three hitters and allowed four hits to the eighteen batters that he faced on Thursday.

It was the effort from the relief corps, namely Poulin and Chad Luensmann (Nebraska), that bailed out Hess.

“Just getting out there, executing pitches, holding us to where we were at,” Poulin said about his plan when entering the game. “Luckily we got some good offense in the bottom of the fifth and I was able to hold it and keep us in the lead.”

Luensmann would go on to retire all six hitters that he faced to earn his third save of the season.

Stat That Mattered

Bourne had left five men on base without bringing home a run in the first five innings and did not leave any on base in their last three trips to the plate.

Brave of the Game

Poulin was a huge aid in the middle innings, throwing three and 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Hess, striking out four and allowing only two hits.

The left-hander has thrown in multiple roles this season, starring in the middle and late innings while also being worked in as a lefty specialist.

“I don’t really think about it if I’m going in to face one guy, if I’m going in for long relief, if I’m going in to close,” Poulin said. “Whatever it is, I have the same attitude and go out there and execute my pitches.”

It was the second straight day in which the bullpen did the heavy lifting with the Braves down by multiple runs.

“They have worked ahead, they have finished guys, they are living low in the zone,” pitching coach Jordan Tabakman said. “P.J. was incredible tonight, that’s the best I have seen him look. Chad, that’s the best we have seen him look velocity wise. They are just working ahead, they are pounding guys, and they are finishing guys. Just to see them work low in the bottom of the zone and elevate and mix their offspeed with two strikes, it’s been fun.”

Coming Up: Eldredge Park will be the site of the Braves final game before the All-Star Game as they take on the Orleans Firebirds, who currently hold the best record in the CCBL.

You can contact the author via email (jjanower@gmail.com) or follow him on Twitter (@JanowerJacob).

Pre-game, in-game, and post-game highlights: