Braves Pick Up First Win at Doran Park

By: Zac Vierra

The Braves picked up their first win this year at Doran Park defeating the Chatham Anglers, 6-5 Saturday night.  R.J. Alvarez (Florida Atlantic) picked up the save for the Braves in dominating fashion striking out four in 1.2 innings of work.  Josh Elander (TCU) started his first game behind the dish for Bourne and had an immediate impact for the Braves going 2-3 with an RBI double, a steal and a run scored.

Bourne was given an assist in this one as three errors in the fourth inning cost the Anglers. 

With Chatham up 2-1 with two outs in the fourth, Elander singled up the middle and stole second and Mike Lebel (URI) reached on an error by the shortstop, Stephen Perez (Miami).  Kyle Farmer (Georgia) then hit a groundball to third and Alex Calbick (Maine) threw wildly in his attempt to get Lebel out at second.  Elander scored and when the throw by Chatham right fielder Jake Berry (Marist) got by the catcher. Lebel advanced to third and Farmer moved up to second on the play. 

Garrett Cannizaro (Tulane) made Chatham pay for the miscues singling up the middle in the next at bat to drive in Lebel and Farmer. 

The Braves would add single runs in the bottom of the fifth when D.J. Hicks (UCF) had an RBI single and the sixth when Travis Jankowski (Stony Brook) hit an opposite field double which scored Farmer. 

After Chatham got two runs back in the seventh they rallied again in the eighth loading the bases.  Harvey Shapiro decided to go to his bullpen and summoned Alvarez to get out of the jam.  After allowing a run scoring fielder’s choice, Alvarez blew away J.T. Watkins (West Point) to end the top of the eighth.   

Alvarez was impressive in the ninth, striking out the side to earn his first save of the season.

Player of the Game: R.J. Alvarez; Save (1), 1.2 innings pitched, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 hits

After a rough first outing of the season, Alvarez was dominant and shut down the Anglers in a high pressure situation.  After pitching as starter at FAU, Alvarez has been converted to a closer for the Braves, a role he says he prefers.  If outings like this continue it looks as if the Braves have found a very effective option for the back end of their bullpen.