Big Crowd Cheers Rock Cats' Late Comeback in 7-6 Loss to Bowie

Published on May 31, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


New Britain, CT - While the pregame buzz at New Britain Stadium last night was about two top Eastern League hurlers squaring off - undefeated Mike Wright (6-0) for visiting Bowie and the ever-improving Trevor May (4-2) for the Rock Cats - it was the hitters who grabbed the attention on this last night of May. Perhaps the combination of unseasonably high temperatures - and high pitch counts - took some of the starch out of both promising hurlers.

Bowie jumped on the 23-year-old May in the 2nd-inning when Aaron Baker led the frame with a double to left and quickly scored when Steve Bumbry - son of former Oriole, Al - doubled him home. A Ty Kelly single plated Bumbry before the Baysox DH, Luis Martinez, smoked a double to right that scored two more runs. When the dust settled, the visitors had a 4-0 lead.

It was short-lived.

In the bottom of the 3rd after two men were out, things went wrong for Wright. It started when the 6'6" hurler hit Jordan Parraz with a pitch. It looked like no harm would be done when the next New Britain batter hit a routine infield pop-up that was dropped, allowing the batter to reach and Parraz to dash to third. Chris Pettit then doubled to right, scoring both runners. Reynaldo Rodriguez, the Rock Cats' DH, then hit a 1-2 Wright offering far over the left field fence, tying the game at 4. It was Rodriguez' fifth HR for New Britain, and the 6,182 in attendance voiced their appreciation.

Both May and Wright were gone from the game after five innings. May's pitch count was in the 90s while Wright's exceeded 100.

In the top of the 7th with the Rock Cats' Edgar Ibarra on for his second inning of relief, the right-hander surrendered a lead-off single to Niuman Romero before Brandon Waring lifted a home run over the left field wall, giving Bowie a 6-4 lead. The long ball was Waring's 7th of the year.

RHP Clay Schrader came on to pitch for Bowie in the 6th inning and held the 'Cats in check allowing just 2 hits and no runs over three full innings of work.

Bowie LHP Jason Gurka came in to pitch the 9th inning and encountered immediate trouble. He surrendered a lead-off single to Curt Smith before Danny Santana doubled, moving Smith to third. Smith later scored on an infield groundout before Nate Hanson blasted a 2-out double to left, plating Santana with the tying run. With the winning run in scoring position, Gurka struck out Daniel Ortiz to end the inning.

After both teams went quietly in the 10th, a lead-off walk to Brandon Ward in the top of the 11th led to trouble for RHP Clay Johnson, the Rock Cats fifth pitcher of the night. After a Ty Kelly sac bunt moved pinch runner Cale Iorg to second, Niuman Romero doubled to left, scoring Iorg with what would be the winning run.

In the bottom of the frame, James Beresford led for New Britain with a walk off Bowie reliever, RHP Zach Zinicola. Chris Pettit next dropped a sacrifice bunt that moved Beresford into scoring position. After Jordan Parraz flew out to center, Danny Ortiz fanned to end the exciting game.

Gurka got the win, moving his record to 2-1. Zinicola got the Save, his 9th of the year. New Britain's Clay Johnson was tagged with the loss, his first decision in AA-ball.

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Eastern League Stories from May 31, 2013


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