Closer Jose Cabrera is facing a suspension for his role in a bench-clearing incident with Somerset Tuesday night. His future with the team is undetermined.
“We’ll see what the league has to say about it and I’ll go from there,” manager Von Hayes said. “I don’t condone what he did by any means. Everything that went on that inning was totally on his shoulders. It had nothing to do with anybody else on this team. We don’t condone that type of behavior and I imagine the league doesn’t, either. We’ll see what comes of it.”
With the Barnstormers clinging to a 9-8 lead in the ninth inning, Cabrera fired a fastball behind Elliott Ayala. As the benches emptied, the reliever had to be forcibly restrained by teammate Kevin Kotch. Cabrera picked up the loose baseball and was threatening to throw it at the Somerset players who had streamed onto the field.
About 30 seconds after the incident started, Cabrera winged the ball in the direction of the Patriots but hit teammate D.J. Mattox instead. Mattox wasn’t seriously injured.
Cabrera was visibly unhappy with a pitch that was called a ball earlier in Ayala’s at-bat. His anger erupted when he was taunted by the players on Somerset’s bench. The pitch that was thrown behind Ayala was ball four. He eventually came around to score the tying run.
Both Cabrera and Hayes were ejected.
“I’ve never seen a game attempted to be given away like that,” Hayes said. “A closer should have every word that starts with ‘C’ imaginable: composure, control, confidence. None of that was shown.”
This is a potentially huge setback for the bullpen. Cabrera’s arrival as the closer helped establish roles among the relief corps, which has been excellent over the last five weeks.
Now Cabrera awaits his punishment.
EDIT: It should be noted there was tension earlier in the game. In the third inning, Barnstormers starter Shane Youman threw a pitch up and in to Vito Chiaravalloti, who has three home runs in this series. Somerset’s Josh Brey responded by throwing behind Lloyd Turner. Although both benches were issued a warning, the situation didn’t escalate at that point.
Game recap:
RECORD: 28-37
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Matt LeCroy
LeCroy went 3-for-6 with four RBIs. His game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the 13th inning ended the four-hour, 54-minute marathon. The first baseman also delivered two RBI singles. He is 11-for-27 with 11 RBIs in seven games since returning from a shoulder injury.
“It was a good feeling,” he said. “Luckily, I got it done. We needed that one. We want to set a tone here for the next couple of days and then see what happens.”
The pitchers:
*Shane Youman received a no decision:
| 5 IP | 8 H | 7 R | 5 ER | 4 BB | 2 K |
Youman was striving for consistency after his six shutout innings against Camden last week. This start wasn’t on the same level. He allowed 13 baserunners in five innings and couldn’t hold a 6-2 lead.
*Sendy Rleal pitched a scoreless eighth. This was the first high-pressure situation in a while for the former closer. Rleal issued two walks, but got through it. Rleal could become a crucial part of the bullpen if it doesn’t include Cabrera.
*The rubber-armed Ricardo Gomez pitched three shutout innings for his third win. Gomez allowed the team to avoid using Yamel Guevara, who is temporarily in the rotation in place of D.J. Mattox.
*Judd Songster extended his streak without an earned runs to 19 1/3 innings.
*The teams combined to use 12 pitchers.
The hitters:
*Jutt Hileman’s three-run homer in the first inning put the Barnstormers in front. Hileman was in a home run drought – only one since May 30 – before that opposite-field shot.
*DH Greg Blosser left the game in the third inning because of a strained calf. He was replaced by Ivanon Coffie, who couldn’t stay in the game to bat because of a sprained wrist.
*2B Juan Francia could return as soon as Thursday. 1B Ian Bladergroen’s timetable has been pushed back to July 18, the first game after the All-Star break.
The bottom line:
It wasn’t a beauty. The Barnstormers blew an early four-run lead. They squandered a 9-8 lead in the ninth. Their closer completely lost his cool. But they found a way to beat Somerset. Finally.
“It definitely feels better than losing – no doubt,” Hayes said. “But even the wins these days come with losses.”
