The Cape Coral American Red Sox found themselves in a place they have not been all season, and it showed.

The Red Sox, who came into Monday’s championship game of the Lee County Little League (Majors) Tournament unbeaten and having outscored their opponents 229-30, watched helplessly as the Hancock Pirates hit them in the mouth late and couldn’t recover.

Jordan Zorbas’ three-run home run provided the difference, and pitcher Dylan Bloss tossed a complete game and drilled a home run as the Pirates rallied for a 6-3 victory at Fleishman Park. It is the second straight county championship for the Hancock Little League.

The Pirates drilled four homers on the night, and seven of their nine base hits went for extra bases as they again got production from top to bottom of their lineup.

“This was a team effort. When our No. 12 hitter can hit a home run, that’s teamwork,” Pirates coach Kurt Donaldson said. “We have lots of home run potential, and we did it tonight.”

The Red Sox (23-1) led 3-1 in the bottom of the third and seemingly in control when the Pirates’ David Blanco hit a one-out home run off starting pitcher Tyler Shuck to cut the lead to 3-2.

In the fourth, Bloss led off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. After Donnie Goodman struck out, Shuck left the game with an arm injury.

Tre Koza came in and gave up back-to-back singles to Garrett Morgan and Korey Besse before Zorbas hit one over the right-field fence for the game-winning, three-run homer.

Bloss, who struggled in allowing single runs in the first three innings, retired the side in the fifth.

In the sixth, the Red Sox put two on with one out, but potential tying run Kaya Aydogmus hit into a double play to end the game.

“The lead helped me out. I felt more secure than in the first,” Bloss said. “My arm felt tired in the sixth, but it feels good to win the first time.”

Bloss allowed 10 hits and hit two batters, but didn’t allow a walk and got stronger as the game progressed.

“He has great heart. I drafted him as a 9-year-old,” Donaldson said. “You can’t ask for more.”

The Red Sox made life difficult in the beginning. Koza led off the game with a triple. Blaze Alexander singled him home for a 1-0 Sox lead.

After the Pirates’ Nick Lamoureux tied the game with a leadoff home run, the Red Sox took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single by D.J. Morrow. They made it 3-1 in the third on Shuck’s single, leading up to the Pirates comeback.

“The kids took it tough. We’re a better team than we played tonight,” said Red Sox coach Bill Shuck. “Every time (the Pirates) hit the ball it went over the fence. It’ll be hard for us to swallow.”

Meanwhile, Donaldson had nothing but praise for his team as they followed the now-defunct Hancock Marlins as county champions.

“In my 37 years, no group of kids have gotten along better. No problems with parents,” Donaldson said. “We’re a unified group. A team of heroes.”

CCA 111 000 3 10 1

Hancock 101 40x 6 9 2

W – Dylan Bloss. L – Tre Koza.

2B – Zach Davis (H), Logan Richardson (H), Nick Lamoureux (H). 3B – Tre Koza (CCA). HR – Nick Lamoureux (H), David Blanco (H), Dylan Bloss (H), Jordan Zorbas (H).