Peacock Struts by Baysox
May 3, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Bowie Baysox News Release
Bowie, Md. - The Baysox were shut out by the Senators for the second night in a row and recorded a season-low two hits against Harrisburg starting pitcher Brad Peacock. The Baysox lost 3-0 and dropped to 13-12 on the season.
After striking out a season-high 15 times Monday night, Bowie hitters struck out 10 more times on Tuesday and have managed just six hits in the first two games of the series.
"It was more of the same story tonight," said Manager Gary Kendall. "I'm not taking anything away from our hitters but their pitching has been pretty doggone good. I thought we made some better adjustments as the game got deeper, but we just couldn't catch up to some pitches. He did a good job of mixing his stuff in and he was better than us tonight."
Right-handed starting pitcher Steve Johnson threw six scoreless innings to start the game, but struggled to find a rhythm early in the game and threw a lot of pitches before settling down to finish his outing with seven strikeouts.
"I was pulling off of a lot of pitches," Johnson said. "I was trying to throw off-speed pitches and I was getting behind and I wasn't getting them down and throwing for strikes so I just happened to get into a lot of long counts. I ended up getting through a lot of them, but it was frustrating. I dialed it in at the end and kept my pitch count down and was able to go six."
Left-handed pitcher Rick Zagone, who was making his first relief appearance, replaced Johnson in the seventh inning and quickly ran into trouble.
Zagone surrendered a home run to Derek Norris, the first batter he faced, to start the seventh inning. After Tim Pahuta struck out, Archie Gilbert reached on a throwing error by third baseman Brandon Waring. Gilbert stole second and reached third when Jonathan Tucker grounded out to second base. Steve Lombardozzi reached first on a bunt single that plated Gilbert to put the Senators up 2-0. Zagone got Jesus Valdez to ground out to end the inning.
Harrisburg scored another run on Zagone in the top of the eighth inning when Bill Rhinehart hit a solo home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch. The home run was the fourth solo home run hit by the Senators in the first two games of the series.
Zagone finished the night with three innings pitched and three runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out two. Johnson threw six innings and allowed five hits and walked one while striking out seven.
During the game the Baysox got only three batters into scoring position. Shortstop Pedro Florimon hit a two out double in the bottom of the third inning and right fielder Ronnie Welty drew a two out walk in the fifth inning and moved to third on a single by left fielder Jeff Fiorentino. The third time a runner reached scoring position was in the sixth inning when first baseman Joe Mahoney reached second base on a wild pitch after striking out swinging. The ball deflected off the catcher and rolled all the way to the backstop, allowing Mahoney to race all the way to second before the ball was retrieved.
"He just threw me a back foot slider and I swung through and he didn't catch it so I just kept running," Mahoney said. "I just looked back and saw that he didn't really know where it was so I just kept going."
With two games to go in the home series against Harrisburg, the Bowie coaches will be searching for ways to wake up the Baysox bats.
"We've faced some pretty good pitching," said Hitting Coach Denny Hocking. "I look at some of these guys and they are putting the work in, they just have to take better at bats, be a little more patient, be a little more aggressive in the strike zone and things will work out. You look at some of the games we've had and then we have games like this and you just have to motivate the guys so they don't get too frustrated."
In game three of the series Wednesday, May 4, at 7:05 p.m., right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins will take the mound for the Baysox and his opponent will be right-handed pitcher Brad Meyers. On Thursday, right-handed pitcher Alfredo Simon will make his first start for the Baysox at 11:05 a.m. against right-handed pitcher Shairon Martis.
The team is home through Thursday, May 5. The home stand features Mustache Mania Wednesday, May 4. The Baysox will be on the road May 6-8, but return home for a seven game home stand on Monday, May 9. For more information on Baysox promotions and theme nights, visit www.baysox.com.
Baysox Baseball - We'll Knock Your 'Sox Off. The Baysox 19th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway. Parking is free at every Baysox home game and tickets are now available at www.baysox.com.
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