Raben Puts Cards Up Early In 6-2 Win
Two-run homer from the Miami Hurricane gets Orleans rolling
June 25, 2007
By: Brett Brecheisen - Orleans Cardinals
Intern
Wareham, Massachusetts – After a week of getting off to a slow start in games, the Cardinals wasted no time to get out of the gates tonight. RF Dennis Raben (Miami, FL) launched his second home run of the season, a two-run bomb to right-field in the first inning of the game to put the Cards on top early. Jon Gaston (Arizona) hit an RBI single in the top of the first to drive in the third run of the inning.
“When you get up there and see a good pitch to drive, put a good swing on it, and get a result like I did, it’s nice. It carries you the rest of the game,” Raben said.
It certainly did carry Raben as he added to the Orleans lead again, this time in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Raben hit an opposite field sacrifice fly that scored DH Hampton Tignor (Florida) from third.
The quick start for the Cardinals cut Wareham LHP Wade Miley (SE Louisiana)’s night short. Miley, had previously only allowed one earned run in 15.0 innings this summer with the Gatemen; but, he only lasted 3.0 innings tonight, giving up six runs, three of them earned.
Orleans continued to score, this time in the fourth inning when they capitalized on several Gatemen mistakes. Miley walked the first two batters of the inning before he left the game. He was relieved by RHP Collin McHugh (Berry College) and on his first pitch; McHugh misplayed a bunt and threw the ball over the third baseman’s head. The error scored 2B Alden Carrithers (UCLA) from third and advanced the runners an extra base. The Cardinals picked up another run when Tignor scored again, this time on a wild pitch.
“Our philosophy offensively is that we want to score first. You’re up four and then it was six and it’s a lot easier to play the game when you’re up six instead of tied or down a run. It just makes it a lot easier to play the game,” Field Manager Kelly Nicholson said.
The Cards gave one of the runs back in the bottom half of the fourth after two errors in the inning allowed an unearned run. Reese made a fielding error when he couldn’t pick up a ball in left-field to allow 1B Dustin Dickerson (Baylor) to advance to second on his hit. Two batters later, a throwing error by 3B Chase d’Arnaud (Pepperdine) scored Dickerson and put Wareham on the board.
After the fourth, though, the defense really started to click. In the fifth inning, Carrithers made a great play on a hard grounder that took a wicked hop. The 5’10” Carrithers leaped into the air to snag the ball and made a hard throw to first base to throw out a speedy CF Diallo Fon (Arizona). Later in the inning, Reese, playing his first game in the outfield since his freshman year in college, made a spectacular running catch to save a run and end the inning. Reese continued his great defensive play when he made another outstanding catch, this one as he was diving to the ground to take away a line drive in the eighth.
“I thought Eric Reese made two game changing plays and really kept the momentum in our dugout. Unbelievable plays tonight,” Coach Nicholson said.
The Gatemen did pick up a run in the seventh inning but it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals went on to win the game, 6-2.
“We pitched well and played really good defense. That got us a good result tonight,” Nicholson said.
RHP Clayton Shunick (NC State) started the game for the Cards. Shunick had struggled in his last start when he faced the Chatham A’s. In that game he gave up three earned runs in only 4.1 innings of work.
He bounced back to throw a great game against Wareham, though. Going five innings, he allowed six hits and an unearned run while striking out four. His performance earned him his first win of the summer for the returning Cardinal.
“Clayton mixed better. He didn’t stand out there and throw fastballs all night long. He threw a good slider and a good changeup. He spotted his fastball okay and had good results,” Coach Nicholson said.
LHP Will Atwood (S. Carolina) continued his solid work out of the bullpen, too. Atwood threw three innings and only put one runner on base. It was Atwood’s second appearance of the summer.
The win was the second for Orleans over the Wareham Gatemen this season. It was also the Cards’ sixth win overall in 2007. Tonight marked the first appearance made by Carrithers this season. He was a member of the Cape Cod League Champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox last year and was activated by the Cardinals this week.
LHP Eric Surkamp (NC State) also has made his way to Orleans this summer and is expected to be activated sometime this week by the team. If Surkamp’s name rings a bell, it’s because he pitched last year with the Cardinals. OF Marcus Jones (NC State) is now considered to be day-to-day after he suffered a minor hand injury yesterday. UTIL Mark Sobolewski (Miami, FL) was ill and did not travel with the team for the game. He is day-to-day.
The Cardinals return home tomorrow evening and will host the Hyannis Mets. Hyannis is 5-4-1 on the season and defeated the Cardinals on June 16 in Hyannis. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm.
W – Clayton Shunick (NC State), 1-1
L – Wade Miley (SE Louisiana), 0-2
SV – None
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