BlueClaws Outrun Hot Rods, 9-4
July 13, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1) - Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release
LAKEWOOD, NJ - Back in Lakewood, NJ the Lakewood BlueClaws play the way that won them the first half championship to start an eight game homestand with a 9-4 victory against the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Monday night.
The BlueClaws (10-8) got on the board first, a feat they have achieved 45 times this season, and they did so as Troy Hanzawa doubled and was brought home on a single by Harold Garcia.
However, the Hot Rods (11-6) then came over-top of the BlueClaws with a two-run fifth as both Justin Reynolds and Jason Tweedy scored. Reynods on an RBI-groundout and Tweedy on an RBI-single off the bat of former first pick overall in the 2008 draft Tim Beckham to take a 2-1 lead.
Then the BlueClaws took over. In the fifth, Travis Mattair led the inning off with a single before Zach Collier hit a double, putting runners on second and third with no one out. Hanzawa collected his second of three hits on the day with an RBI-single and D'Arby Myers plated another with an RBI-groundout to take a 3-2 lead.
The BlueClaws then blew the game open in the sixth. Travis d'Arnaud started the inning with a double before Jim Murphy was hit by a pitch and Brendan Akashian walked. Mattair then battled to hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate a run and make it 4-2. Then, Collier hit a ball up the middle that looked like it was a double-play ball but it was booted by Beckham and everyone was safe, scoring another run. Hanzawa then hit a double to right, scoring another run before Garcia was hit by a pitch. The ninth batter of the inning was Anthony Gose, and he hit a ball that was fielded by Beckham and thrown wildly to first, scoring two more runs and the BlueClaws ended their inning scoring five on just two hits to take an 8-2 lead.
Lakewood added a run in the eighth as Myers doubled, advanced to third on a ground ball and scored on an infield single by Gose.
Jesus Sanchez (5-5) started the game and continued to be effective as he went six strong innings, allowing eight hits but just two runs. Sanchez struck out six and was also aided by a wonderful relay from Myers to Hanzawa to d'Arnaud in the sixth to nail a runner at the plate. Ryan Bergh came on in the seventh and worked two easy innings striking out two before Rob Roth entered in the ninth. Roth walked the first and second hitters of the inning and two scored as Anthony Scelfo hit a double before retiring the side.
Nick Barnese (4-1), who hadn't allowed more than two runs in an outing all season got roughed up in 5.1 innings. He started well but Barnese ran into big trouble in the sixth. All told, he allowed eight hits and eight runs, five earned in the loss.
On the day, Hanzawa went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs. The bottom three hitters in the BlueClaws order accounted for five runs and four RBIs on the day.
This was the first ever meeting between the BlueClaws and Hot Rods in respective team's histories.
The four-game series will continue on Tuesday at 7:05 pm as the BlueClaws and Hot Rods play in FirstEnergy Park. The BlueClaws will call Heitor Correa (6-2) to the mound and he will be opposed by highly-touted lefty Matthew Moore (5-3).
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South Atlantic League Stories from July 13, 2009
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- Power Comeback Falls Short - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Suns run out of rallies in 5-4 loss - Hagerstown Suns
- Monell's pinch-hit wins it in 9th - Augusta GreenJackets
- BlueClaws Outrun Hot Rods, 9-4 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
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- Smolinski is Minor League Player of the Month - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Quentin, Colon Set to Rehab with Kannapolis in Savannah - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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