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EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Rock Cats Pounce on Baysox

August 29, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Bowie Baysox lost Saturday night as a walk-off double by New Britain Rock Cats second baseman Steve Singleton condemned Bowie to a 6-5 defeat. Bowie remained a game and a half out of playoff position despite the loss, thanks to second-place Harrisburg's defeat at the hands of Trenton. Now 70-63 on the season, the Baysox are facing a strong challenge from below, as Akron lurks in fourth place, a game behind Bowie and 2.5 games from the playoffs.

Saturday's game was the sixth game out of seven between Bowie and New Britain that was decided by two runs or fewer.

Baysox starter Rick Zagone was knocked around the park for 11 hits as New Britain scored five runs in his 5.0 innings. Zagone's teammates came through with a rally after the high-kicking lefty departed the game that prevented him from taking his sixth loss of the campaign.

The Baysox opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, which Eastern League All-Star Joel Guzman led off with a single to left field. Guzman advanced to second base on a groundout by left fielder Joe Mahoney, and scored on catcher Caleb Joseph's single to right field. Joseph had been mired in an 0-for-13 slump, and recorded his first RBI since Aug. 20.

New Britain tied the game in the bottom of the second inning, which outfielder Evan Bigley opened with a double to left field. Two outs later, catcher Jeff Howell drove Bigley across the plate with a double down the left-field line.

Bowie reclaimed the lead in the top of the third inning, when 20-year-old center fielder Xavier Avery teed off on his second home run since promotion to Bowie on Aug. 10.

Minnesota Twins prospect Ben Revere, recently activated from the disabled list after being hit in the face by a pitch, opened the bottom of the third inning with a single to right field. He then stole second and third base with Joe Benson batting, and scored when Benson hit a grounder to Zagone to level the game at 2-2.

The Rock Cats blasted their way into the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Benson hit a lead-off double to left field, but was cut down at the plate trying to score on Bigley's single to right field, though Bigley took second base on the throw. Bigley scored on a Singleton single that gave the Rock Cats a one-run lead before Mark Dolenc expanded the deficit with a first-pitch home run to center field that left New Britain with a 5-2 lead.

Second baseman Ryan Adams opened the top of the sixth inning with his league-leading 43rd double of the year and took third on Guzman's infield single to shortstop. Mahoney grounded into a fielder's choice that sent Adams across the plate as Guzman was thrown out at second base.

Right-handed pitcher Raul Rivero took over in the bottom of the sixth inning, and leared the way for a comeback by holding the Rock Cats scoreless over two innings as he gave up three hits and struck out two batters.

The Baysox continued to rally in the top of the seventh inning, as shortstop Greg Miclat led off with a double to left field before right fielder Jonathan Tucker joined him on base with a walk. Avery advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt and Miclat and Tucker both scored on second baseman Carlos Rojas' single up the middle of the diamond, tying the game at 5-5.

Unfortunately, the rally ran out of steam and six Baysox batters were retired in a row in the eighth and ninth innings.

Former Baltimore Orioles reliever Bob McCrory took over on the hill in the bottom of the eighth inning, and gave up a hit before retiring the side. With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Bigley reached base on a ground ball that eluded Rojas, who was charged with an error. Singleton hit a double to right field that brought Bigley in for the walk-off victory as the Baysox fell 6-5.

The Baysox play one more game in New Britain, Sunday at 1:35 p.m., then return to Bowie for their final home stand of the regular season, with four games against the division-leading Altoona Curve beginning Monday, Aug. 30, at 7:05 p.m. The Baysox final regular-season home game is Thursday, Sept. 2, and features the Festa d'Italia Beer Dinner, with an Italian-themed buffet-style meal in the Diamond View Restaurant with a generous selection of beers. Tickets for the dinner are $41 per person, or $37 for season ticket holders, and can be purchased by contacting Dana DeFilippo at (301) 464-4871 or ddefilippo@baysox.com. Tickets must be ordered by 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31. Absolutely no tickets will be sold after the deadline.

Think Outside The Box with the Baysox in 2010. The Baysox 18th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is nearly over. Catch all the action in Natural Definition! Baysox full-season and partial-season ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the group sales department at (301) 464-4880.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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