EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Bats Abandon Baysox Pitching

May 7, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


TRENTON, N.J. -- Baysox starting pitcher Ryohei Tanaka did almost everything right to put his team in a position to win, but his would-be run support failed him as Bowie fell 1-0 in Trenton. The Baysox dropped to fourth place in their division and are 15-14 on the season, four games behind the Altoona Curve.

Tanaka surrendered a season-low four hits through six innings, but conceded the lone run in the bottom of the first inning. The Japanese hurler was the hard-luck loser as he went up against a sparkling performance by Trenton's right-hander David Phelps, who gave up just two hits through six innings of the shutout while notching five strikeouts.

Trenton outhit the Baysox 7-4 in the game, and neither team was able to get much going offensively. Bowie was 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, as only two players made it as far as second base. The Thunder also struggled at the plate in critical situations, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

The Baysox RBIs leader, left fielder Tyler Henson, accounted for one of those four hits with a bunt single to third base in the opening frame. He was forced out at second on a grounder by third baseman Brandon Waring, but stretched his hit streak to six games.

Thunder first baseman Daniel Brewer scored the game's only run in the bottom of the first stanza with a lead-off single up the middle of the diamond followed by smart base running. He took second on a passed ball by Baysox catcher Caleb Joseph and then stole third base during the same at-bat. Trenton's catcher Austin Romine then hit a single to left field to plate Brewer for the eventual game-winner.

After giving up three hits in the first inning, Tanaka settled into a groove and retired 11 consecutive batters, picking up four strikeouts along the way. Steady reliever Pat Egan came on for Tanaka to start the bottom of the seventh inning and got into a jam after giving up a bunt single to outfielder Reid Gorecki and a base hit to left by first baseman Kevin Smith. They moved to second and third on a groundout, but Egan escaped the inning courtesy of a double play as shortstop Pedro Florimon got the ball to Ryan Adams at second base, who whipped it 90 feet to Joel Guzman at first. Egan, who stands 6-feet-7-inches tall and is even more imposing on the mound, has an eye-popping 0.49 ERA and has not allowed a run in his last 16 innings of work, a shutout streak that spans seven games. As a unit, the Baysox bullpen has not given up an earned run since April 28.

The Baysox play Trenton again Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and have another game Sunday afternoon before they head back to Bowie on May 10 for a four-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

That first game back will be the Baysox inaugural Beard-a-Palooza, where any fan with a beard may purchase half-priced lower reserved seat tickets ($7) for the game, limit one per beard. Fans who cannot grow a beard are encouraged to make one! Between-inning contests include "What's In the Beard" and longest and most colorful beards.

Think Outside The Box with the Baysox in 2010. The Baysox 18th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway. 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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Eastern League Stories from May 7, 2010


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