OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Despite playing in front of one of the biggest home crowds of the season on Fan Appreciation Night, and despite putting up six runs over the first five innings, the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide suffered another disappointing loss in what has been a season full of them. A home run in the fifth by Rahiem Cooper gave the Tide a 6-4 lead, but the bullpen made sure that lead evaporated in a 9-6 loss to the Seacoast Mavericks in the next to last home game at The Ballpark on Tuesday.

“It’s tough. It’s been happening all season,” said Tide right fielder Graham McIntire. “We keep battling ”“ offensively, we keep battling, put up six runs, which should be enough to win the game.”

Raging Tide starter Will Ore breezed through the Mavericks batting order the first time through, allowing just one hit over his first three innings. But with two outs in the fourth, Ore issued a walk, which turned into a run. Ore then combined with relievers Dakota Edwards and Nate Boyle to give up eight more runs over the next three innings, as Tide leads of 3-0 and 6-3 were short-lived.

“Will said he’d pitch for us, which I appreciate,” Tide manager Chris Torres said of Ore, who wasn’t originally scheduled to start. “He was probably a little tired, he hit a little wall.”

Early on, Ore did his job ”“ as did the Tide offense. Consecutive singles by McIntire and Paul McDonough to lead off the second turned into a pair of runs, and McIntire drove in another run in the third on a misplayed grounder.

“The last few games, I haven’t been hitting too well, so getting those are always helpful,” McIntire said of some friendly infield bounces.

Ore ran into trouble in the fifth, though, as he gave up a lead-off double to Chris Hess and also hit two batters. Seacoast brought two runs home on sacrifice grounders before Dalton Davis drove in the go-ahead run on an infield single.

“Even though we didn’t really get hit hard, the thing that the other teams do with walks and (stuff) is they put the ball in the right spot,” said Torres. “Even if they get outs, they get a run.”

Cooper put the Tide back on top in the bottom of the frame as he laced a three-run homer over the wall in left field.

“Coop’s been swinging the bat good,” said Torres.

The Mavericks got one run back in the sixth against Edwards after Alex Merritt led off with a triple and scored. Edwards and Boyle then combined to give up four runs in the seventh, as the first seven batters all reached.

“That’s pretty much the season in a nutshell,” Torres said of his team giving up leads late in games.

The Seacoast bullpen allowed just one hit over the final four innings, as a home crowd that had plenty to cheer for early was left quiet at the end.

“It’s a lot more fun ”¦ it’s fun to play in that atmosphere. You’re more hyped for the game,” McIntire said of playing in front of a big crowd. “You got a good fan base that wants you to win.”

“I just wish we could win for them,” added Torres.

TIDE NOTES: McIntire pitched a scoreless ninth, as he made just his second appearance on the mound this season. He said before that, the last time he pitched was the summer before his freshman year of college in 2012. He gave up a one-out double to Davis, but did record a strikeout of Ryan Gendron.

“I threw Dalton a hanger; he took advantage of that. I was just happy it stayed in the park,” said McIntire. “I just wanted to throw strikes. I didn’t want to walk anybody; that was the biggest thing.” ”¦ The final home game of the year for the Raging Tide is Thursday at 7 p.m. against Wachusett.

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.