FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Ricky Bowen had just completed a less-than-satisfying season as a red-shirted sophomore at Mississippi State University when he reported to the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League. But the 6-3, 197-pound right-hander improved his record to 2-1 and lowered his earned run average to 2.65 as he pitched the Braves to a 13-4 win over Wareham on July 1 to earn Coca-Cola Pitcher of the Week honors for the week ending July 5. Working the first six innings, Bowen allowed just two singles and a pair of walks while striking out seven Gatemen. In three starts encompassing 17 innings, he has scattered 16 hits, fanned 21 and issued just three bases on balls — this from a pitcher who was 3-6 with a 7.61 ERA in 13 starts for Mississippi State’s 23-33-0 Bulldogs this spring. Bowen was a 38th-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Reds on June 6 and is hoping a strong showing in the Cape League will convince the Reds to make an acceptable offer before the Aug. 15 deadline for signing drafted players. Otherwise, it’s back to Starkville, Miss., to play for new head coach John Cohen next season.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Although he was born in Miami, most Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox fans consider catcher/DH Tony Sanchez to be a “New England kid.” After all, he’s a Boston College standout, who hit .313 this spring and led the Eagles in most major offensive categories, including hits (66), RBI (45), total bases (109) and home runs (9). Picking up where he left off with BC, Sanchez hit his first two home runs of the Cape Cod Baseball League season – both grand slams – and was named Coca-Cola Player of the Week for the week ending July 6. The 6-foot, 220-pound junior-to-be crushed his first grand slam on June 29 as Y-D blanked Orleans, 5-0. It came with one out in the fifth inning and broke open what had been a close, 1-0 game. Four nights later, Sanchez’s first-inning blast with three aboard got the Red Sox off and running as they cruised past Bourne, 10-6. Sanchez is hitting .308 with 12 RBI in 13 games for Y-D. In his two college seasons, Sanchez managed to take first base as a hit batsman on 28 occasions, including a team-leading 18 times in 2008. He’s been hit four times so far to lead Y-D in that category.
