Cotuit Blanks Cardinals Thanks to Brown and Smoak

For Immediate Release

Kettleers Back Into First-Place Tie With Wareham Gatemen

By Megan Kerr

COTUIT, MA — Cotuit put an end to its recent troubles at Lowell Park with a 5-0 victory last night over the Eastern Division-leading Orleans Cardinals with special thanks to righty Jay Brown (YOung Harris) and South Carolina's Justin Smoak who hit a two-run bomb to left in the fifth inning.

    The Kettleers are now 11-6.

    Brown (Young Harris, 0BB, 8K, 6 H) picked up his third victory of the season as he kept the strong Cardinals attack contained for eight innings. With the help of some amazing defensive plays, including a diving catch by Mat Angle (Ohio State, 2 for 3) and Brett Lilley (Notre Dame, 0 for 3, 1 RBI), Brown was also able to maintain his scoreless innings streak as he has now pitched twenty innings without allowing the opposing team to score. With Brown not allowing the Cardinals to gather any momentum, Cotuit had the opportunity it needed to go on the offensive and in the fifth inning the Kettleers were finally able to get a lead.

  Erik Surkamp (NC State, 5BB, 5K, 5H) kept Cotuit off balance for four innings, but was unable to keep up with Brown as he fell to two and one on the season. In the bottom of the fifth, Justin Smoak ( South Carolina , 1 for 4, 2 RBI) came up to the plate with Reese Havens ( South Carolina , 1 for 4, 1 RBI) on first base and two outs. With the count at one ball and no strikes, Smoak hit his fourth homerun of the season to give the Kettleers a two run lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Cotuit continued to press the attack in the bottom of the sixth as Kyle Russell (Texas, 0 for 3) walked and then moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tony Thomas (Florida State, 1 for 3). Sean Gaston (Notre Dame, 2 for 4, 1 RBI) then singled to score Russell, putting the Kettleers up by three, which were more than enough runs with the way Brown was pitching.

  Cotuit added a couple more runs in the eighth as they loaded the bases against Orleans reliever Brock Baber ( Kentucky , 1 BB, 1 K, 2 H). Baber then walked and hit a player to give the Kettleers a five run lead going into the ninth inning. Cory Gearrin (Young Harris, 2BB, 2K, 0 H) then came on to finish off the game for the Kettleers, which he was able to accomplish to give the Kettleers their eleventh victory of the season. Cotuit hopes to continue to perform well at home as they play the second place team in the Eastern Division, the Chatham A's.