ORLEANS — Something was not right at Eldredge Park late last Thursday afternoon. The berm along the first-base line, usually sporting an assortment of multi-colored blankets and chairs reserving spots for that evening’s Firebirds game, was bare save for a sole folding chair on the hill behind home plate whose owner had apparently not gotten the memo.
A few men walked dogs next to the silent infield. Even the osprey, holding court in her nest atop the left-field light stanchion, as she had all season, looked lonely and out of place.
Instead of hosting the deciding game of the first-round playoff series between the top-seeded Firebirds and the 4th-seeded Dennis-Yarmouth Red Sox, Eldredge Park sat empty, thanks to a 9-2 Red Sox win the previous afternoon at Red Wilson Field. The victory gave D-Y a sweep of the series and a berth in the East Division championship. They faced Harwich for the second consecutive year for the right to represent the East in the league championship.
The Birds were down by 6 runs in Game 2 before they could generate any offense, thanks to 4 strong innings from Red Sox starter Michael Malki from California Baptist. The right-hander held the Firebirds to only 2 hits.
Orleans gave their fans a sliver of hope in their half of the 5th when speedy center-fielder Javar Williams reached on an error. Tyler Myatt and Alejandro Garza each followed with singles against Christopher Downs, who had entered the game in relief of Malki. Landon Hairston’s fielder’s choice brought Williams across with the Firebirds’ first run of the game, and Anthony Potestio’s single plated Myatt. Myatt’s run made it 6-2 and brought back memories of regular season comebacks from greater deficits. Another miracle was not in the offing, however, as Myatt’s run proved to be the Firebirds’ last in 2025.
They managed only one more hit in the game’s final 4 innings, with the last outs coming on a double play as twilight neared. The haze from far-off wildfires mingled with the diminishing light, creating a gloomy setting that seemed sadly appropriate.
The decisive loss came on the same field and exactly one year to the day that the Red Sox had eliminated them from the 2024 postseason. In that game, the seeding script was flipped as D-Y was the top seed and the Firebirds were 4th.
Orleans was in a win-or-go-home situation after a 4-1 loss to the Red Sox at Eldredge Park the evening before. Cape League All-Star Brady Hamilton, who was making his league-leading 8th start for the Red Sox, pitched 5 1/3 innings of 4-hit ball, leaving in the 6th with a 4-1 lead. Relievers Ryder Brooks and Tyler Pitzer handled the remaining innings, holding the Firebirds to 3 hits and no runs. The only blemish on Hamilton’s day was the solo home run that he gave up to Hairston, the Firebirds’ first baseman from Arizona State, in the 3rd inning.
Last year, Orleans had squeaked into the playoffs on the season’s last day. This year’s squad, with their 22-16-2 record, showed a 7-win improvement, vaulting from last place in the division on July 4 to the league’s top spot at season’s end. Those accomplishments were undoubtedly factors in Kelly Nicholson being named the Cape League’s Mike Curran Manager of the Year for the 5th time in his 21 years leading the team.
The Firebirds had a regular season to remember despite their early playoff exit. They closed out their schedule in thrilling fashion, winning 7 of their last 8 games, 5 by one run. That the magic ran out in the playoffs against a strong D-Y team was an indication of the league’s parity.
Before Game 1, the Firebirds were presented with several league-wide awards. In addition to Nicholson’s honor, Steele Murdock was named 2025’s outstanding relief pitcher, the second time in 3 years a Firebird has attained that distinction, following Sean Matson in 2023. Firebirds executives and Nicholson received a trophy for winning the East Division as well as the President’s Trophy for earning the most points.
Seven Firebirds were selected for the All-Star team in July and finished the season with some gaudy stats. Murdock led the league with 8 saves and 15 appearances, while fellow reliever Cole Tryba posted the league’s 3rd-best ERA among qualified players (1.07). Ethan Foley finished with a sparkling 1.60 ERA while recording 3 wins without a defeat, as did Tryba. Elijah Ickes was among the league leaders in home runs (5), runs (26), RBIs (21), and on-base percentage (.416). Anthony Potestia led the league’s qualified players in on-base percentage (.414) and was tied for 2nd in doubles with 9. Catcher Cash Dugger, whose season was cut short by injury, was a defensive stalwart with an on-base percentage of .349, ranking 5th among backstops with 20 games or more. The versatile Robbie Lavey, who played first base, catcher, and the outfield at various times during the season, finished in the top 10 in the league with 18 RBIs.
