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Firebirds Drop 2-1 and 3-1 Decisions to Bourne
June 27, 2010
By Tyler Maland
Game 1: Bourne 2, Orleans 1
The Firebirds had the tall task of facing Anthony Meo (Coastal Carolina) in the 4:00 p.m. start. Meo was 13-2 with a 2.61 ERA at Coastal Carolina this spring, and was marvelous in his first start of the Cape League season.
Orleans did manage to score a run in the first inning after Danny Muno (Fresno St.) walked, moved to second on a passed ball and was singled in by Steve Selsky (Arizona). That run was unearned and was the last the Firebirds would score, as Meo retired the next ten batters he faced and cruised through his six innings of work. In those six innings, the righthander allowed three hits and struck out six.
Bourne tied the game in the fourth inning with well-executed small ball. Nick Ahmed (Connecticut) singled to lead off the inning, was bunted over to second by Tommy LaStella (Coastal Carolina), and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Ryan Wright (Louisville). 
Firebirds starter Ryan Carpenter (Gonzaga) threw five innings, allowing just one run on five hits. Carpenter (pictured left) gave up two hits in the top of the fifth, but got out the trouble by coaxing a groundout to second by Ahmed.
Kenny Long (Illinois St.) was effective early in relief for the Firebirds. Long retired the first five hitters he faced, three on strikeouts, giving him a team lead of 20 in just 12.1 innings pitched. Long was finally touched up for the go-ahead run in his third inning, the first extra frame of the seven-inning game. Scott Woodward (Coastal Carolina) hit a one-out single and stole second base, setting up Ahmed for what proved to be the game winning single to left field.
Orleans threatened with two outs in the ninth, when Kevin Muno (San Diego) walked and Danny Muno bunted down the third baseline for a hit. Kolten Wong (Hawai'i) swung at the first fastball he saw from Chance Sossamon (Wichita St.), but he popped it up to end the game.
Ahmed was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Bourne, and Jason Esposito (Vanderbilt) was the only Firebird with multiple hits, going 2-for-3.
Game 2: Bourne 3, Orleans 1
In Game 2, the Firebirds bats were even more stifled by the second Bourne starter of the day, Austin Stadler (Wake Forest), and this time the Braves were able to strike first.
Firebirds starter Elliot Glynn (Connecticut) walked the first two hitters of the game, and after a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third, an RBI groundout to second by Wright put Bourne up 1-0. The Braves struck again in the fourth when Ahmed doubled, LaStella walked, and Ahmed stole third. Wright hit a line drive to left, and Firebirds left fielder Kevin Muno threw a perfect strike to home plate ahead of the tagging Ahmed. Muno's throw, however, took an in-between hop on catcher Matt Koch (Loyola Marymount), who was unable to handle the throw, allowing Ahmed to slide in safely.
Orleans mustered its only offense of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Kevin Muno led off with an infield single when his soft groundball was charged hard by Braves shortstop Ahmed, whose off-balance throw was in the dirt, allowing the speedy Muno to reach. Muno was bunted over to second and stole third impressively, setting the stage for an RBI groundout to second by Wong.
The Firebirds batters were smothered for the rest of the game, as Stadler dealt strike after strike. The lefthander threw six innings and allowed just Muno's infield hit, while walking two and striking out one. Tony Zych (Louisville) came on and threw a 1-2-3 seventh for his third save of the season.
Glynn finished with two earned runs on three hits and three walks in five innings.
The Braves added their third run of the game in the top of the seventh on a solo homer to left center by Dan Bowman (Coastal Carolina) off of Will Clinard (Vanderbilt). Creede Simpson (Auburn) added two hits for Bourne.
Orleans drops to 6-8 on the season, while Bourne improves to 8-6 and first place in the West. Orleans will host Wareham on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., while Bourne travels to Falmouth on Wednesday, also at 7:00.
All Cape League teams have Tuesday off, as they travel to Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts for Cape-League-exclusive combine style workouts.