Orleans Firebirds

Another Win for First Place Cardinals

July 14, 2008

Chatham, Mass. – The Orleans Cardinals continue to win games and tonight was no exception. The Cards knocked off division rival Chatham, 2-1, in a tight, low-scoring game that was filled with pitching and outstanding defense.

Orleans started the scoring with a solo shot from 1B Nate Freiman (Duke) in the fourth. It was the second home run for Freiman in as many days and the third he has hit this week.

Riding a one-run lead for most of the game, Cardinals RHP Martin Viramontes (Loyola Marymount) pitched well. The tall right-hander sent down 13 Athletics hitters in a row from the end of the first frame to the fifth inning.

SS Cole Figueroa (Florida) hit a RBI-triple in the sixth to score 3B Rich Poythress (Georgia) and give the Cardinals a two-run lead. The A’s would finally get to Viramontes, though, and answer the Cardinals bats.

OF David Hale (Princeton) led off the sixth with a double, the first base-runner Chatham had on-base since the first inning. A sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position and 2B Kyle Seager (North Carolina) drove him in with a single to make it a one-run game.

Facing the first adversity he had come across tonight, Viramontes picked up an outstanding defensive play to end the threat. With two on and one away, 3B Victor Sanchez (San Diego) ripped a ball to the left side. Poythress made a full-extension diving grab on the line drive and threw it from his knees to second base and doubled up Chatham SS Grant Green (USC).

After the sixth, Viramontes handed the ball over to the Cardinals bullpen. He left the game having allowed just three hits and one earned run in six innings pitched while striking out five.

Viramontes was relieved by LHP Adam Wilk (Long Beach St.) who gave Orleans two solid innings. Wilk made an outstanding defensive play of his own when he robbed Seager of a hit on a line-drive drilled right back to the mound in the eighth.

OF/RHP Alex Hassan (Duke) came in for another save opportunity in the ninth. This one did not come as easy as his 1-2-3 outing yesterday, but ended with the same result. With the tying run in scoring position, Hassan induced a groundball off the bat of OF Gabe Cohen (UCLA) and Poythress stepped on third to end the game.

Hassan did it all for Orleans, picking up a base hit at the plate, making two diving catches in center-field to save a pair of hits and a potential run and closing the game out on the mound for his second save of the season.

The win makes Orleans 16-9-1 on the year and gives them the best overall record in the league. The Cardinals have now gone 9-1-1 in their last 11 games and have built themselves a solid six point cushion in the Eastern Division. They’ll look to make it eight when they host the second place Brewster Whitecaps tomorrow night.

This site is powered by c4.net, a division of Cape Cod Computer, Inc.
Sponsors of:	SearchCapeCod.com	Cape Cod & Islands Search Engine
	CapeEvents.com	Current Events
	CapeCodIslands.com	Regional Business Directory
	CapeCodChambers.com	Available Accommodations



Home Firebirds News Game Day Central Roster Statistics Coaching Staff Sounds of the Game Clinics Volunteer Alumni Contact	Another Win for First Place Cardinals July 14, 2008 Chatham, Mass. – The Orleans Cardinals continue to win games and tonight was no exception. The Cards knocked off division rival Chatham, 2-1, in a tight, low-scoring game that was filled with pitching and outstanding defense. Orleans started the scoring with a solo shot from 1B Nate Freiman (Duke) in the fourth. It was the second home run for Freiman in as many days and the third he has hit this week. Riding a one-run lead for most of the game, Cardinals RHP Martin Viramontes (Loyola Marymount) pitched well. The tall right-hander sent down 13 Athletics hitters in a row from the end of the first frame to the fifth inning. SS Cole Figueroa (Florida) hit a RBI-triple in the sixth to score 3B Rich Poythress (Georgia) and give the Cardinals a two-run lead. The A’s would finally get to Viramontes, though, and answer the Cardinals bats. OF David Hale (Princeton) led off the sixth with a double, the first base-runner Chatham had on-base since the first inning. A sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position and 2B Kyle Seager (North Carolina) drove him in with a single to make it a one-run game. Facing the first adversity he had come across tonight, Viramontes picked up an outstanding defensive play to end the threat. With two on and one away, 3B Victor Sanchez (San Diego) ripped a ball to the left side. Poythress made a full-extension diving grab on the line drive and threw it from his knees to second base and doubled up Chatham SS Grant Green (USC). After the sixth, Viramontes handed the ball over to the Cardinals bullpen. He left the game having allowed just three hits and one earned run in six innings pitched while striking out five. Viramontes was relieved by LHP Adam Wilk (Long Beach St.) who gave Orleans two solid innings. Wilk made an outstanding defensive play of his own when he robbed Seager of a hit on a line-drive drilled right back to the mound in the eighth. OF/RHP Alex Hassan (Duke) came in for another save opportunity in the ninth. This one did not come as easy as his 1-2-3 outing yesterday, but ended with the same result. With the tying run in scoring position, Hassan induced a groundball off the bat of OF Gabe Cohen (UCLA) and Poythress stepped on third to end the game. Hassan did it all for Orleans, picking up a base hit at the plate, making two diving catches in center-field to save a pair of hits and a potential run and closing the game out on the mound for his second save of the season. The win makes Orleans 16-9-1 on the year and gives them the best overall record in the league. The Cardinals have now gone 9-1-1 in their last 11 games and have built themselves a solid six point cushion in the Eastern Division. They’ll look to make it eight when they host the second place Brewster Whitecaps tomorrow night. (Unofficial Box Score)