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1B Jose Jimenez hit a three-run homer to help the Cardinals defeat Y-D

Red Hot Cardinals Blow Past Y-D

Orleans has now won three straight and have jumped into a three-way tie for second place in the division

July 14, 2007

By: Brett Brecheisen - Orleans Cardinals Intern

Orleans, Massachusetts – The Orleans Cardinals keep hitting and continue to win as they knocked off Yarmouth-Dennis, 5-1, for the first time in four tries this season.  1B Jose Jimenez (Tampa) had a huge three-run home run in the seventh to give the Cardinals all the insurance they would need.

Orleans started things off with another first run, the seventh time they have scored in the first innings in their past eight games.  The Cardinals used a lot of speed to move 2B Alden Carrithers (UCLA) around the bases as RF Eric Reese (Fordham) hustled down the first base line to force an error by Y-D 3B Nick Romero (San Diego St.) that not only allowed Reese to reach but sent Carrithers to third.  A wild pitch would score Carrithers and put the Cardinals on top early.

Reese would score the second run of the game for Orleans in the third after CF Jon Gaston (Arizona) doubled down the right-field line.  Reese beat a throw to the plate and made a nice slide to arrive at home safely.

“I just saw it and hit it.  It found a hole and I’m glad Reese scored,” Gaston said.

It was the top of the fourth inning when LF Nate Freiman (Duke) made the defensive play that potentially saved the game for the Cards.  After fielding a base-hit from LF Aaron Luna (Rice), Freiman fired a perfect one-hop strike to C Hampton Tignor (Florida) who blocked the plate and applied the tag just before DH Jason Castro (Stanford) could touch the plate with his left hand.  The play saved a run and was the third out of the inning as the momentum stayed in the Cardinals dugout.

“Nate has done a great job out there and he’s just a quality kid.  He does anything we ask him to do and if we asked him to play shortstop, he would go ahead.  Not that we would ask him to do that,” Manager Kelly Nicholson said laughing.

The day for LHP Pat McAnaney (Virginia) was going extremely well as he entered the fifth inning with a two-run lead and seeking his first win of the summer.  He began to run into trouble, though, when he gave up a solo shot to 2B Grant Green (USC) and the Red Sox began to threaten.  McAnaney struck out SS Gordon Beckham (Georgia) and forced 1B Sean Ochinko (LSU) to ground out as he left the game after five with a one-run lead.  McAnaney has now allowed one run or less in his past three starts.

“It always feels great to get a win but more importantly we’ve won three in a row and our bats are starting to come around. I didn’t think I had my best stuff tonight but I had Nate Freiman out in left to help me out. When he threw that guy out at home, it changed the whole game,” McAnaney said.

The home run hit by Green was the first run allowed by the Orleans pitching staff in their last 15 innings pitched.  The Cardinals had gone 28 scoreless innings back in the first week of the season.  That streak was snapped on June 23 against Bourne.

Another Orleans rally began brewing in the seventh when Carrithers reached on an error by Green to begin the inning.  Three batters later and with Carrithers on second, DH Dennis Raben (Miami, FL) was issued an intentional walk.  It was the fourth time that Raben had been walked in the evening.  The Hurricanes outfielder did not swing at a pitch and did not start or appear in the field for the first time in the 26 games the Cards have played this season.

Having appeared on base after all four of his plate appearances, the Red Sox’s strategy of walking Raben seemed to work as he never crossed the plate.  That all changed on the first pitch Jimenez saw from Sox starter RHP Terry Doyle (Boston College) when he crushed a fastball onto the band shell beyond the right-centerfield fence.  The home run scored Carrithers and Raben and gave Orleans a 5-1 lead.

“Jose Jimenez worked hard all game, really paid attention, and it really paid off when he hit the big home run.  I was so happy for him,” Coach Nicholson said.

The Cardinals turned to LHP Rob Catapano (UNC) to close out the final two innings and finish them he did.  The Tar Heel left-hander threw two shutout innings and has not allowed a run in the 8.2 innings he has pitched this summer.

“We just need to continue to throw strikes, put the ball in play, and play good defense and if we can do all of those on a regular basis we’re going to have a chance to be in every game,” Nicholson said.

The first inning hit by Carrithers extended his streak of reaching base to 13 consecutive games.  The second-baseman from Portland, OR also scored two runs and leads the team with 19 runs scored.

With losses by Chatham and Brewster tonight, the Cardinals’ three-game winning streak has now put them in a three-way tie for second place in the Eastern Division.  Orleans will have a chance to take over sole position of second tomorrow evening when they visit the Chatham A’s.  Chatham has defeated Orleans in all three meetings this summer.  The loss by Y-D is their third straight loss and the Cards now trail the division leaders by just seven points.

W – Pat McAnaney (Virginia), 1-2

L – Terry Doyle (Boston College), 3-3

SV – None