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RF Dennis Raben was 3-for-5 today

Bats Come Alive Again In Win Over Brewster

Nine more runs brings the total amount of runs for Orleans in the past two games to 19

July 13, 2007

By: Brett Brecheisen - Orleans Cardinals Intern

Orleans, Massachusetts – The Cardinals are starting to find themselves on the verge of a hot streak as they defeated Brewster by the largest margin that they have beaten a team this season, 9-0.  The shutout marks the sixth time this season that the Cardinals staff has shut out the opposition.  Orleans’ nine runs are the second-most they have scored this summer and with the ten they put on the board last night in Cotuit, the Cards have now scored 19 runs in their last 17 innings.

CF Jon Gaston (Arizona) began the evening and set the tone for the game with a lead-off single in the first.  He advanced to second an error, was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by 2B Eric Reese (Fordham), and driven in by RF Dennis Raben (Miami, FL) to give Orleans an early 1-0 lead.

The Cards picked up another two runs in the fifth, when Gaston again singled, this time with one out, and moved around the diamond.  Reese followed right behind him and the two scored on RBI-singles from Raben and LF Nate Freiman (Duke).

That would give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead and the opportunity for LHP Craig Bennigson (California) to earn his first victory of the summer.  Bennigson has been phenomenal thus far, having posted just a 2.61 ERA in four starts entering tonight’s game.  Bennigson struggled with his command, but bounced back and made tough pitches when he needed.  Those pitches led to a ten strikeout performance from the Berkeley southpaw and no runs allowed in his five innings.

“Craig struck out ten and got five strikeouts tonight when he was down to 3-0 counts.  A sign of a good pitcher is that he can battle.  I was really proud of the way he competed tonight.  I’m glad he got the win, he deserved to get it and it was good for him to get that first win,” Manager Kelly Nicholson said.

Bennigson was relieved by RHP Sam Brown (NC State), LHP Rob Catapano (UNC), and RHP Ryan Perry (Arizona).  The three combined to pitch four scoreless innings. Orleans has shut out the Whitecaps in three of the four games they have played this season.

Orleans added to their three run lead in the seventh inning when their offense exploded for six hits and six runs.  It capped off another impressive outing from the Cardinals at the plate, and a lot of that recent success is attributed to Hitting Coach Robb Gorr.

“Coach Gorr has done a terrific job and they are starting to buy in to what he’s been telling them and his philosophy.  He’s really been working with guys and a he’s done a terrific job.  A lot of credit has to go with him,” Nicholson said.

Unlike last night, in which the Cardinals scored seven runs off of just two swings of the bat, it was a lot of singles that drove runs in tonight.  In fact, of the 13 Cardinals hits in the game, all 13 of them were singles.  Raben, who was 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs, seems to think the Orleans hitters have figured their swings out.

“I think as a team we’ve just been more aggressive.  A lot of guys are swinging at pitches earlier in the count and jumping on fastballs.  We’re swinging the bat well as a team and hopefully we can keep it going,” Raben said.

The win brings the Cardinals to within two points of second place, now shared by Brewster and Chatham.  The boys from Orleans hope to continue heating up as they finish the weekend off with battles from all around the Eastern Division.

“We know that every time we play a Brewster, Y-D, Chatham, or Harwich, it’s a four-point swing.  Anytime you play a divisional opponent who is only ahead of you by two points or four points it’s a big game.  It’ll be a good weekend for us to make a move,” Coach Nicholson said.

The important weekend for the Cards has just begun.  Orleans (13-12-0) will host the division-leading Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (17-7-1) tomorrow night at 7:00pm.  The team will then head to Chatham on Sunday night before coming back here to play the Harwich Mariners on Monday evening at Eldredge Park.  LHP Pat McAnaney (Virginia) will take the mound against Y-D.

WP – Craig Bennigson (California), 1-0

LP – Mike Colla (Arizona), 2-1

SV – None