Bordner Takes Tough-Luck Loss In Debut As 'Caps Fall to Red Sox 7-4

Sam Bordner found early success in his Cape League debut but some defensive miscues led to him taking the loss (c) Marielle McLoughlin 2017

By: Carter Woodiel

It was the debut Whitecaps fans were waiting for, but it didn't go quite as expected.

Sam Bordner, hair still bleached blond from his trip with Louisville to this year's College World Series, retired the first seven hitters he faced after entering Brewster's game with Yarmouth-Dennis in the fifth inning. But he would run into trouble in the seventh, eventually taking the loss in a 7-4 defeat to the Red Sox.

"These are good hitters here." Border said after the game. "So I just need to execute a little more, execute better, and pretty much put it in the back of my mind and move on."

With the loss, Brewster falls back to .500 with a record of 8-8-1. The Red Sox (10-6-1) are a half-game back of Orleans for first place in the East division.

Brewster got on the board first with an RBI single from Mickey Gasper in the bottom of the first. It was Gasper's 18th RBI of the season, putting him one shy of Falmouth's Marty Bechina (Michigan State) for the league lead.

Brewster added two more runs in the second, when Justin Kunz (Gardner-Webb) hit an RBI double and Christian Molfetta (Stanford) drove Kunz in with a sacrifice fly. 

Y-D would tie the game in the third off Brewster starter Joe Molettiere (Monmouth) who gave up three runs (two earned) off eight hits in four-plus innings of work.

The first run scored after an Alfonso Rivas (Arizona) ground ball knocked off the glove of Brewster second baseman Christian Molfetta (Stanford), allowing Alex McKenna (Cal Poly) to come in from first on the error. 

An RBI double from Cortes, an RBI single from Kole Cottam (Kentucky), and a fielders' choice from Nico Hoerner (Stanford) gave the Red Sox a 7-3 lead.

In all, Bordner pitched 2 2/3 innings Saturday, giving up four runs (two earned) while striking out four and walking none. He had given up only two earned runs all spring with Louisville.

Red Sox starter John Rooney (Hofstra) threw six innings of three-run ball while giving up 8 hits. He got the win, moving to 1-1 on the season.

Three of the seven runs Brewster allowed in the game were unearned. Whitecaps pitching has given up 22 unearned runs this season, which is second in the CCBL. They have also committed a league-leading 22 errors, including two from Molfetta on Saturday.

"We lost this game because we couldn't field the ball -- that's the reason," Whitecaps head coach Jamie Shevchik said. 

"When Sam [Bordner] came in to pitch we were in the right spot for him. He should have never given up those runs at all," he added. "We should have bailed him out."

Brewster mounted a comeback in the eighth inning, in a do-or-die situation as darkness cancelled the ninth.

Marty Costes hit a solo home run, his third homer of the year, and the Whitecaps brought the tying run to the plate. But Red Sox manager Scott Pickler called on closer Riley McCauley (Michigan State) who struck out Kunz to end the game. It was McCauley's 6th save of the year.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Whitecaps are back in action on Sunday against the Orleans Firebirds from Eldredge Park. The Firebirds have won seven games in a row and lead the East division. Fans can listen online on the team's YouTube channel.