How the West is Winning

The first day of second-round playoff action was dominated by pitching.

At least for 16 innings.

The other two were reserved for offense. Very dramatic -- and series-changing -- offense.

Cotuit scored three in the ninth to break a scoreless tie and grab a 1-0 lead in its series with Y-D. Bourne's finish was even more wild, as the Braves scored three in the ninth to erase a 2-0 deficit and win 3-2 over Orleans.

Just like that, with three in the ninth, it's two in the books.

The Cotuit vs. Y-D game offered the best on-paper playoff pitching match-up we've seen in a while. Last year's successful playoff runs weren't built on power pitching. I'd go back to 2007, with a match-up like Aaron Crow vs. D.J. Mitchell, to make a comparison with yesterday's starters, Chris Sale and Chad Bell. Sale was honored as the league's top pitcher before the game. Bell had a no hitter to his name, the league's first since 2007.

I wish I had been able to get to this game, because Bell and Sale certainly didn't disappoint. Bell went eight shutout innings, scattered six hits and struck out five. His defense turned five double-plays, helping those hits stay scattered. Sale was perhaps better, striking out 10 and walking only one in his eight innings.

But Sale came out for the ninth, and that's when Cotuit finally got to him. Rico Noel (Coastal Carolina) led off with a single, Chris Bisson (Kentucky) bunted and reached on an error and Zach Cone (Georgia) delivered a clutch hit to drive in Noel. Another error and a sac fly from Cody Stanley (UNC Wilmington) plated two insurance runs.

Y-D still had a shot, but on a day when Y-D closer Tyler Burgoon (Michigan) received the league's reliever of the year award, the likely runner-up for that honor, Cotuit's Daniel Tillman (Florida Southern), slammed the door. Tillman hasn't allowed a run all year and he worked a perfect ninth to preserve the victory.

Over in Bourne, the pitching was just as strong, particularly from Orleans starter Jorge Reyes (Oregon State). A 17th-round pick this year, Reyes has had an up-and-down career in Corvallis, but early on, he was as clutch a pitcher as any in the country when he led the Beavers to a College World Series title. He's been very good for the Firebirds this summer, and when it was time for another big game yesterday, he delivered. Reyes took a shutout into the ninth.

But like Sale, Reyes ran into a lineup that wasn't done swinging. Scott Woodward (Coastal Carolina) hit a one-out single and Pierre LePage (Connecticut) walked. Things still weren't that promising, but the hit and walk did chase Reyes and the league MVP was coming up. Kyle Roller (East Carolina) greeted reliever Brett Weibley (Kent State) with an RBI single to left. LePage took third on the hit and Roller moved to second on the throw. LePage then scored on a wild pitch and Roller took third, representing the winning run. After Orleans intentionally walked Rob Segedin (Tulane), they pitched to Stefen Romero (Oregon State). Once an MVP candidate like his teammate Roller, Romero dropped off sharply in the second half of the season. For Bourne to have success in these playoffs, they were going to need Romero to get going.

He delivered this time. Romero hit a fly ball to right and it was deep enough to let Roller tag up and score the winning run.

The victory was Bourne's first playoff win since 2005, when they made it to the finals before losing to Orleans. It was also Bourne's first victory over Orleans this year. The Braves were 0-4 against the Firebirds in the regular season.

Games Today
Y-D at Cotuit, 3 p.m.

The probables: Austin Ross for Y-D against Seth Blair for Cotuit. Both pitchers have been good this summer. Ross has a 1.93 ERA; Blair is at 2.75 but has two complete games to his credit. Blair is in his second summer on the Cape. He pitched in the playoffs for Cotuit last year and gave up 10 runs on 13 hits in a championship-series loss to Harwich. You think he remembers that? I bet he does.

It's going to be interesting to see if Cotuit can scratch and claw its way through this series. Early departures have left the Kettleers with nine position players, and three of them are catchers. One of the three, Cody Stanley, played center field yesterday.

Bourne at Orleans, 4 p.m.

Orleans is going with Jimmy Reyes, who has a 3.40 ERA but good strikeout numbers. The Braves have actually faced him twice this season, with Reyes picking up wins both times. The first line: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 7 K. The second: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K. One piece of good news for the Firebirds: Bourne's Kyle Roller was hitless against Reyes in those games.

Bourne did not list a probable starter, but I'm thinking either Alex Wimmers or Seth Maness. In his last three starts, Wimmers has allowed one run over 14 innings and has struck out 26. Maness struggled in his last start, but the start before, he narrowly missed a perfect game.

Enjoy the action today.