Off Day Rundown: Bourne rattles off eight-game win streak, Colby Thomas’ walk-off home run ends offensive showdown, nine Braves get named to West Division All-Star team

By: Nick Galle 

It’s only been a week since the Braves had their last off day, but there has been no shortage of storylines in Bourne. Since July 15, the Bravos are 5-1 and have outscored opponents 33-22. They still maintain a comfortable lead atop the West Division standings, sitting at 19-3-3 on the season.

If you’ve missed anything during this jam-packed week of action, here’s everything you need to know about the best team on the Cape:

• Bourne extended its win streak to eight games with a win over Harwich on July 20. The streak would unfortunately end the following night, as the Bravos fell 4-2 to Falmouth at Doran Park. It was the first loss of the season against the ‘Dores after the Braves had beaten them in the four meetings prior.

• One of those eight wins came after a 17-run, 30-hit slugfest between Bourne and Falmouth on Monday that ended on a Colby Thomas walk-off home run. It was Thomas’ third home run of the season and his 10th RBI since July 12.

• The league released this year’s All-Star selections, and nine Bravos were selected to represent the West Division. Five pitchers (Eric Adler, Michael Sansone, Trystan Vrieling, Austin Parsley, Jake Bennett) and four hitters (Dalton Rushing, Braylen Wimmer, Chrisitian Knapczyk, Max Anderson) were among this year’s best players on the Cape, and Bourne had the most All-Stars in the league along with the Mariners, who also had nine.

• Rushing was also named Player of the Week this past week. The Louisville Cardinal is batting .325 with four home runs and 16 RBIs on the season and has gone 9-for-27 (.333) with a home run, six RBIs, five runs scored and three doubles over his past seven games.

• Cayden Wallace and Hunter Omlid were both released this week. Wallace hit .290 with two home runs, 14 RBIs and 12 runs scored during his time in Bourne. The Arkansas Razorback had hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games. Omlid finished 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. The right-hander went 10 2/3 innings, gave up 16 hits, eight earned runs, walked three and struck out 10.

• Despite the departures, the Bravos also brought in a trio of new arms (Frank Doelling, Bryson Cafaro, Tyler Stuart) and John Garcia, a catcher who hit .234 with three home runs and 22 RBIs this past season at Monroe College. Doelling and Cafaro both made their debuts Wednesday night against the Commorodres, and both went two innings in relief. Doelling gave up two hits, three runs, only one of which was earned, walked two and struck out two. Cafaro surrendered two hits, a walk and fanned three.

• Like Colby Thomas, Tanner Schobel showed that he could come through in the ninth with a two-RBI base hit that gave the Bravos a 6-4 lead against Harwich on Tuesday night. Zach Agnos would come around on the play as well thanks to an errant throw, and Bourne would go on to score six runs in the inning to blow out the Mariners at Whitehouse Field.

• As the team’s closer, Eric Adler has been incredible. In 11 innings out of the bullpen, the Wake Forest product has allowed just three hits and three walks, while striking out 22. Opponents are batting just .083 against him and have not scored a run off the hard-throwing righty, who touched 98 mph on the gun in Harwich.

• Although they could not kick the offense into high gear, the Braves got a brilliant start from Michael Sansone and exquisite relief pitching from Josh Ekness, Dylan Bowers, Xavier Lovett and Adler to carry them to a 1-0 win over the Gatemen on July 17. Sansone went five shutout innings, allowed just three hits, one walk and punched out three.

• Jordan Patty was also phenomenal in his start against Cotuit. The CMU Chippewa went five scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and struck out a pair of Kettleers en route to his second win of the summer.

• Christian Knapczyk has been on fire and finds himself on a seven-game hit streak. During that span, the middle infielder has gone 11-for-26 (.423) with three RBIs, nine runs scored, two doubles, four stolen bases and six walks.

Cover photo via: Joe Sullivan