Bourne, Mass. — The Bourne Braves stretched a dozen runs over three innings to defeat the Chatham Anglers 12-4 on Thursday night. Chatham jumped out to an early lead, pushing across four runs in the first inning, but only managed to muster up four hits on the rest of the night. Moises Ceja took the loss for the Anglers in his first appearance in the CCBL. Christian Taugner got the win for Bourne.  

While a ten-run seventh inning buried the Anglers against Brewster earlier this week, the Braves took advantage of Chatham relievers in three separate innings, pushing across runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh. 

The brunt of the damage came in the sixth inning as 11 batters dug in for the Braves. Five wild pitches allowed the Braves to score three runs, while the A’s bullpen walked four and hit a batter. Registering six hits on the inning, Bourne was able to keep the Anglers from winning three straight games for the first time this season.

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Though the Braves put up double digits against the Anglers, it was Chatham who got out to the early lead on Thursday.

Following a pair of walks to Jake Palomaki and Stuart Fairchild, cleanup man Patrick Mathis delivered once again, roping a two-run single into right field to give Chatham the first inning lead. Mathis has hit safely in all six of the Anglers’ games this season.

Donovan Casey would reach on an infield single one batter later to set the stage for Chase Pinder.

Making his first start of the season for the Anglers, Pinder crushed a JT Perez pitch deep into the outfield. The stroke plated two runs and allowed the Clemson Tiger to stroll into third with a standup triple, extending Chatham’s lead to 4-0.

However, that would be the only offense the Anglers would put together for the rest of the day as Chatham reached base only four other times on four singles.

“I think we got flat, I think we were sitting on our laurels a bit,” said John Schiffner. “I think we just thought that it was enough, that four [runs] was enough…these are good teams, we’re playing good teams every night, so you can’t take anything for granted.”

Inheriting a four-run lead before he even stepped onto the mound, Chatham starter Simon Matthews felt confident in his first CCBL appearance.

“When your team comes out and puts a crooked number up on the board in the first inning, especially on the road, it takes a load off before you even have to step out there,” said Matthews. “That was a great feeling to be able to go out there already with a lead.”

The righty went five full innings, surrendering three runs on nine hits.

Another slew of Anglers made their debuts today as Matthews, Palomaki, Ceja, Donovan Casey, and Connor More all took to the field ready for their first taste of the Cape League.

Chatham returns home to Veterans Field Friday at 7 p.m. against the Brewster Whitecaps. J.B. Bukauskas will make his second start for the Anglers after he and his teammates dropped their opening game to Falmouth. Tune in at 6:40 for the Anglers Extra Pregame Show on the Cape Cod Baseball Network.