EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Aeros Use Their Head As Aeros Down Baysox

Published on April 18, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


BOWIE, Md. - The Baysox put runners on base in every inning but could not get the clutch hits to bring them home as they fell to the Aeros 7-3 Saturday. Carlos Santana and Jerad Head each homered for the Aeros, while their bullpen went six innings allowing just one earned run and spoiling a plethora of Baysox scoring chances.

"We need to focus better and get some hits," left-fielder Jonathan Tucker said of the struggles with runners on base. "One of these days we're just going to have to get stubborn and become a tougher out."

The Baysox left a season-high eleven men on base and scored only three runs despite having a runner on base in every inning. Six of those innings saw a runner advance into scoring position. As a team, the Baysox were 1-11 with runners in scoring position.

It took Akron eight pitches to get on the board in the first, as Jose Constanza started the inning with a bunt single off Baysox starter Bobby Livingston. Constanza moved to second on a groundout by Carlos Rivero, and came around to score on a single by Beau Mills to put them on top 1-0.

The Baysox answered right back in the bottom of the inning, as Paco Figueroa smoked a ball off the wall in left-center field for a triple to start the inning. Jonathan Tucker followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game at one apiece. After both Tucker and Figueroa saw their hitting streaks come to an end earlier in the series, they continued to wreak havoc on Aeros pitching to set the table for the rest of the lineup.

"Paco is making my job a lot easier," Tucker said of his teammate. "He and I have similar games and we seem to compliment each other really well."

Tucker not only drove in the Baysox first run of the game, but also came through with the leather to save a run in the bottom of the second. Josh Rodriguez drew a one out walk and a groundout by Damaso Espino moved him into scoring position. John Drennan sliced a ball into shallow left field which looked to put the Aeros back on top, Tucker got an outstanding jump on the ball and layed out with full extension to make an incredible catch that ended the inning without any damage.

The Baysox took the lead in the third inning as Jonathan Tucker again found himself as the key to the Baysox rally, drawing a walk with one out. Brandon Snyder followed with a free pass, and Dave Krynzel got hit by a pitch to load the bases still with only one out. Miguel Abreu grounded out to score Tucker and give the Baysox a 2-1 advantage, but they were unable to tack on any more runs as Akron starter Steven Wright induced Ambiorix Concepcion to ground out to short to end the threat.

The Aeros stormed back in the sixth as Jerad Head lead off the inning with a double down the line in left. Jose Constanza followed with his second bunt single, and stole second to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Carlos Rivero grounded out to second to score Head, and Beau Mills followed with a groundout to third, plating Constanza after a throwing error by first baseman Brandon Snyder. Carlos Santana followed by swinging at the first pitch he saw and planting it over the left-center field wall to put the Aeros up 4-2. Three of Santana's league leading four home runs have come off of Baysox pitching this season.

The Baysox tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh off Aeros reliever Carlton Smith. Paco Figueroa singled to start the inning and stole second. Two batters later, Dave Krynzel laced a single into center field to score Figueroa making the score 4-3 and getting a raucous crowd of 6,418 back into the game. The run by Figueroa was his second on the night and eighth of the season which ties him for the Eastern League lead.

Jerad Head quickly quieted the crowd in the top of the eighth as he took the first pitch he saw from Baysox reliever James Hoey deep to left for his first home run of the season. Jose Constanza followed with another infield single, his third of the game, and again stole second. After Carlos Rivero walked, Ryan Rodriguez came on to replace Hoey and gave up a two-run double to Beau Mills to give the Aeros the 9-3 lead.

Constanza has been a thorn in the side of Baysox pitchers all series. He has also been a terror on the basepaths, stealing three bases and scoring four runs thus far in the three games. Catcher Adam Donachie pointed out that the Baysox need to keep him off balance in order to contain his game-changing speed.

"We did that tonight," Donachie said. "But it didn't really matter because he still beat us."

Baysox first baseman Brandon Snyder continued to swing a hot bat. The 2005 first-round pick went 2-3 to raise his season average to .400. He also drew his first two walks of the season, something he's been trying to do more of thanks to a steady diet of breaking balls.

"I've been trying to be a little more selective," Snyder said. "I just need to make sure I stick with the same approach and get myself into hitters counts."

The loss drops the Baysox to 5-5 on the season, two and a half games behind the league leading Aeros.

The Baysox will look to earn a split for the four-game set as the two teams take the field in the first day game of 2009 at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Jason Berken (1-1, 5.63 ERA) will take the mound against Aeros LHP Chuck Lofgren (0-0, 2.25 ERA). Game time is set for 2:05.

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Eastern League Stories from April 18, 2009


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