story by Steve McCarthy
July 12, 2010
COTUIT - Hyannis Harbor Hawks second baseman A.J.
Petterson (Minnesota) had driven in just one run
entering Monday's game against the Cotuit Kettleers. He
added three more RBIs to his credit as Hyannis beat
Cotuit 4-2 at Lowell Park.
I've been
focusing lately on trying to stay with my same approach
with runners in scoring position, because sometimes I
get a little outside of myself and try to do too
much, Petterson said. I let the ball get in deeper
a little bit today and lucky enough I got a couple of
hits to right field.
The win kept the
Harbor Hawks from going down 0-3 in the season series
with their Western Division rivals. Two of the three
remaining games between the teams will be played at
Hyannis' McKeon Park.
They take pride
in that Patriot Cup, Petterson said. It's good to
still have a chance to win it this year.
Hyannis (11-14)
advanced into a tie with Falmouth for third place in the
division. Cotuit (11-12-2) remains in second behind
Bourne.
Neither starting
pitcher made it through the fifth inning, but timely
hitting and an effective bullpen gave Hyannis the edge.
The Harbor Hawks were able to build on an early 1-0
advantage, while Cotuit scored both of its runs in one
inning.
Jose Mata (1-0,
South Carolina) hurled four shutout innings to earn the
win in relief in just his second Cape League appearance
since winning the National Championship with the
Gamecocks. He spelled starter Matteo D'Angelo
(Winthrop). Mata and closer Dallas Gallant (Sam Houston)
combined to allow just two hits in the second half of
the game. Gallant earned the save (7).
It's definitely
important to have that good bullpen, Petterson said.
The starters usually can't throw more than five or
six innings, so to have guys in the seventh and eighth
and then Dallas to come in in the ninth to shut it down
is definitely nice.
After a pair of
quick innings, Petterson's RBI single in the third
plated leadoff hitter John Ruettiger (Arizona St.) from
second. Ruettiger singled and advanced on a throwing
error by Cotuit starting pitcher A.J. Achter (Michigan
St.).
(Ruettiger) is a
great hitter, Petterson said. He's also very fast,
which is nice because I can take a pitch and maybe he'll
get over to second base and then I've got a guy in
scoring position right away.
Achter left two
baserunners aboard for Cotuit reliever Matt Andriese (UC-Riverside)
in the fifth inning, which both scored on Petterson's
base hit down the right field line. Achter took the loss
in four-plus innings of work. Two of the three runs were
earned.
The Kettleers made
it a 3-2 ballgame in the home half of the fifth by
stringing three hits together followed by a
sacrifice-fly. James McCann (Arkansas) roped an RBI
double down into the left field corner and Michael
Yastrzemski (Vanderbilt) got enough air under his
one-out fly to left to bring McCann in from third.
Cotuit trotted out
Austin Dicharry (Texas) in the seventh inning for a
nightmarish Cape League debut. Dicharry threw his first
pitch up and in and beaned Hyannis' Zach Osborne
(Tennessee) with the second. That was all of Dicharry
the Harbor Hawks would see. Osborne moved over to third
on Ruettiger's single and scored on a wild pitch by
Cotuit closer Ryan Duke (Oklahoma).
Petterson,
Ruettiger, and Jeff Lusardi (Missouri) each had two hits
of Hyannis' seven total. Levi Hyams (Georgia) and Deven
Marrero (Arizona St.) went 2-for-4 for Cotuit.
Cotuit has an off
day Tuesday before finishing a three game home stand on
Wednesday against Wareham.
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