By: Josh White

ORLEANS, Mass. – It wasn’t pretty but the Firebirds got the job done.

Orleans led the league in every major pitching category heading into Tuesday evening, but it was the Firebirds’ hitters that shined in the early going against the struggling Hyannis Harbor Hawks.

Kelly Nicholson’s club put up seven runs across the first four innings and Orleans fended off a rally from Hyannis to win 7-5 in front of 3,033 fans at Eldredge Park.

“Today, I love that the hitters stepped up when the pitchers were struggling,” left fielder Max Troiani (Bentley) said. “The pitching has been so good, but we needed to come through on a night like tonight.”

With the victory, Orleans (11-4-2) has won five consecutive games and registered at least one point in eight straight contests.

Hyannis (3-13-1) scored five unanswered runs and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh inning. With runners on first and second, Harbor Hawks’ first baseman Jackson Olson (Hartford) crushed a rocket to straightaway center, but Jordan Lala (Miami) sprinted to the deepest part of the 106-year old ballpark to race down the soaring fly ball.

“That thing was mashed,” Troiani said. “That ball is probably out in any other ballpark. I’m glad Lala is in center because I don’t think many other people get to that.”

Once again, the Harbor Hawks threatened an inning later. Nick Garcia (Chapman) issued a leadoff walk and Nicholson turned to Isaac Esqueda (Southern California).

With the tying run at the dish, the southpaw got a lazy popup in foul ground for the first out. One pitch later, Esqueda induced an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play to eliminate Hyannis’ opportunity. Esqueda tossed a scoreless ninth to lock down his first save of the summer.

“He turned the momentum around back in our favor,” pitching coach Mathew Troupe said of Esqueda. “He controls the zone with filthy movement. I feel bad for lefties that have to face him.”

As a staff, the Firebirds issued a season-worst 10 walks, but Troupe was impressed with how the team responded in tense situations.

“We just didn’t really have any command tonight,” Troupe said. “We walked all those guys, but we only gave up five runs. That’s how good our staff is. We made big pitches when we needed to.”

On the offensive side, Troiani led the charge, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. The three-hit performance was Troiani’s league-leading eighth multi-hit game of the summer.

“I’m just trying to soak it in,” Troiani said. “Every time I go out on that field, I put my arms up and just try to enjoy the moment. This stuff doesn’t last forever. Coming from [Division II], it just means adjustment. I think I’ve done well with adjustment.”

The Firebirds tallied four runs in the second inning, capitalizing on the Harbor Hawks’ miscues. Second baseman Danny Serretti (North Carolina) singled to kick off the frame and fellow infielder Shay Whitcomb (UC San Diego) followed with a double down the left-field line.

Serretti trotted home on a wild pitch before catcher Rob Emery (San Francisco) doubled the lead with a base hit. Emery would later score on the second pitch to the backstop of the inning. Right fielder Zach Britton (Louisville) beat out an infield single, plating the final run of the four-run frame.

Two innings later, Orleans tacked on three more in a similar fashion. Troiani brought home a run with a hustle base hit. First baseman Raymond Gil (Miami) worked a bases-loaded walk and Serretti chopped a slow roller in front of the pitcher’s mound for his second knock of the ballgame.

“Early on, we had really good at-bats,” assistant coach Jamie Quinn said. “We’ve been doing a really good job lately of situational hitting. We put up seven early and got a little flat as an offense, but the bullpen held on.”

The Firebirds now hit the road to open their six-game season series with East Division rival Chatham (10-6-1). The Anglers are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Harwich 3-2 at Whitehouse Field. 

“Now that the hitters are coming along, we feel really confident as a team,” Troupe said. “We are a scary ball club to face.”

Short Hops:

-Troiani bumped his batting average up to .362, which ranks third in the league behind only Cotuit’s Nick Gonzales (New Mexico State) at .377 and Yarmouth-Dennis’ Wyatt Young (Pepperdine), who is hitting .372.

-The Firebirds’ five-game winning streak matches their largest surge since July 14-18, 2017.

-Adam Seminaris (Long Beach State) will get the ball for Wednesday’s matchup against Chatham at Veteran's Field. Seminaris has surrendered just one run across his first 13 2/3 innings on the Cape.