Off Day Rundown: Braves drop first game of season, pitching staff loses key arms, Anderson bursts on the scene

By: Nick Galle 

It’s been over a week since the Braves had a scheduled off day, and there has been no shortage of headlines over the past seven games.

Bourne has gone 4-1-2 since its last off day on June 29 and still remains atop the West Division at 10-1-3 on the season. If you weren’t able to catch the Bravos this past week, here is everything you need to know about Harvey Shapiro’s squad:

• After a 9-0-2 start to the season, the Braves lost their first game on July 5 against the Cotuit Kettleers. Despite being shut out, Bourne’s pitching staff allowed just two runs behind five strong innings from Nick Zwack, three from Cole Chudoba and one from Ben Ethridge.

• Nick Zwack, Gordon Graceffo and Peter Van Loon were all released this week as they prepare for the MLB Draft, which begins July 11. Zwack went 2-1 with a 1.28 ERA. In 14 innings of work, the lefty from Xavier surrendered just five hits, three runs (two earned), walked one and struck out 14. Graceffo went 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA and gave up 12 hits, one run, walked two and struck out 13 in 13 innings. Van Loon made two appearances on the Cape, tossing 6 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits, one run, walked two and fanned seven.

• After starting the summer on temporary contracts, catchers Peter Burns and Colton Bender were both signed to permanent deals. Pitchers Dylan Bowers (Northern Colorado) and Cade Smith (Mississippi State) were also activated Thursday morning.

• Over the past seven games, Bourne pitchers have been limiting opponents to just 1.57 runs per game.

• Max Anderson made his Braves debut back on June 30 and went 2-for-2 with a walk. He has hit safely in five of his six games played and is 9-for-25 (.360) at the plate with three RBIs, two doubles and two runs scored. The Nebraska Cornhusker has also already tallied four multi-hit performances.

• Zach Agnos prevented back-to-back losses with a 2-for-4 performance in Orleans on July 6. He doubled in the second inning and then had a two-RBI triple in the fourth inning that gave the Braves their first lead of the night. The Firebirds would even things up in the bottom of the fifth, but Bourne’s pitching staff held up in the late innings to avoid defeat.

• After a lightning delay that lasted more than two hours, Colton Bender hit a solo home run against the Harwich Mariners on June 30 to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Neither team was able to pull ahead for the remainder of the game, but Bender ensured that the undefeated streak lived another day.

• The pitching staff has continued to be successful into the third week of the season. Bourne leads the entire league in ERA (1.96) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.76), and has allowed the fewest hits (85), runs (31) and earned runs (27). The Bravos also hold the best run differential in the league (+36).

• Josh Moylan tallied his first hit since June 25, and it proved to be critical on Wednesday night against Falmouth. His two-run single in the bottom of the seventh gave the Braves a 3-2 lead, and they would go on to win 4-2. Xavier Lovett recorded his first save of the season, retiring the Commodores in order in the top of the ninth.

Cover photo via: Joe Sullivan