Baysox Blitz Senators
September 5, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release
BOWIE, Md. - Third baseman Josh Bell had a magic touch, smashing two home runs to put the Baysox ahead in both games of the doubleheader as Bowie downed Harrisburg 7-1 and 5-2 on Football Frenzy night at Prince George's Stadium. Right-hander Brandon Erbe and Tim Bascom each picked up a win on the night, while closer Luis Lebron continued his dominance with his 14th straight scoreless appearance to earn his eighth save.
Erbe got off to a rocky start in the first inning, allowing a one-out solo home run on his fifth pitch of the game to Ricardo Nanita. It would be the final mistake of the night for Erbe, he retired the next 20 batters in a row to earn his fifth victory of the season.
"I don't know if anything really changed (after the home run)," Erbe said. "I was making them hit the pitches I wanted them to instead of falling behind in the count.
The Baysox came back with a four-spot in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead against Harrisburg right-hander Erik Arnesen. Center fielder Matt Angle doubled to start the inning and shortstop Carlos Rojas was plunked by a pitch to put men on first and second. Left fielder Lou Montanez brought home Angle with an RBI single to left, setting the table for Bell with two on and nobody out. The Baysox slugger hit a low off-speed pitch, clubbing it over the wall in right field for the three-run blast to put his team on top.
The Baysox offense added a single run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth to tack on to the lead. In the fourth inning, shortstop Pedro Florimon brought home a run with an infield single, snapping an 0-for-15 skid and collecting his first hit and RBI in Double-A. In the fifth inning, the Baysox loaded the bases with one out against Arnesen. A wild pitch allowed Montanez to score, while designated hitter Steve Torrealba followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Bell to finish the scoring at seven.
With a six-run lead, Erbe remained in control the Senators offense the rest of the night to earn his second complete game of the season. After walking at least two in eight consecutive starts, the right-hander did not walk any Senators on his way to the Baysox second one-hitter of the season. Reflecting on his final regular season start of 2009, Erbe gave credit to the Orioles player development staff for getting him to turn the corner on becoming a more complete pitcher.
"The adjustments I've been able to make, not just mechanically but being able to throw strikes," Erbe said. "That is the stuff that makes a difference in the end and it's a credit to the Orioles system."
In game two, it was the Baysox who jumped out to an early lead against Harrisburg right-hander Carlos Martinez. An error by Senators second baseman Jamel Spearman allowed Angle to reach to start the game, and Rojas followed with an infield single to put men at first and second with nobody out. Bell followed with a sharp single through the hole into right field, scoring Angle as Rojas scampered to third. First baseman Brandon Waring brought Rojas home later in the inning with an RBI groundout, giving right-hander Tim Bascom an early 2-0 lead.
Bascom had not earned a win in his last 11 starts. Paced with a two-run advantage, he went to work on the Harrisburg offense before running into trouble in the top of the third inning. Nanita came to the plate with a runner on first, crushing the first pitch he saw deep over the wall in right to tie the game at two. The Harrisburg right fielder was their only offense of the night, hitting two home runs and driving in all three Senators runs over the doubleheader.
Bell put the Baysox back on top in the bottom of the third inning, taking Martinez the opposite way for a two-run home run to put Bowie on top 4-2. It was the eighth home run in only 31 games with the Baysox this season, two shy of the team lead with just two games to play in the regular season. He also made a couple of nice defensive plays at the hot corner, capping off a night in which he finished 3-for-6 with two home runs and six RBI.
"I've been talking to the guys and they told me I've been pressing a bit," Bell said. "Whenever I seem to be doing well at the plate it always seems to carry over to the field and I was happy with that as well."
Bascom found a groove after the home runs and retired seven of the next eight he faced. The right-hander left after 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits while walking three and striking out five to earn his third win of the season.
"It's been a long time coming that's all I know," Bascom joked. "We definitely got two huge wins tonight and we just have to keep it tight and keep it right."
Right-hander Luis Lebron came on in relief of Bascom with two runners on and two outs in the top of the sixth inning. With the tying run at the plate in Bill Rhinehart, the right-hander climbed the ladder with a 95 mph fastball to send him down swinging to end the threat.
In the seventh inning, Lebron allowed a one-out single to Charlie Fermaint before closing the door on his eighth save of the season. The base hit ended a string of 11.1 consecutive hitless innings for Lebron, but he got the job done once again and drew the praise of Baysox Pitching Coach Larry McCall.
"He has been so much better the last month," McCall said. "Now he's getting ahead of guys with his fastball and his curveball is an outpitch, he is automatic."
Despite the two victories, the Baysox remain 2.0 games behind Reading for second place in the Southern Division. Sunday, they sent RHP Steve Johnson (2-2, 3.16) to the mound on Fan Appreciation Day against RHP Jeff Mandel (4-1, 2.93). The first 1,000 fans ages three and up will receive a free Baysox fleece blanket, and Baysox players and coachers will be available for autographs on the stadium concourse from 12:30-1:15 p.m. Pitching Coach Larry McCall, pitcher Steve Johnson and the starting catcher will not be available for autographs. Game time is set for 2:05 p.m.
The Baysox 17th season as the class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is nearly over! Check out www.baysox.com to see all that's going on at the stadium this year, and don't miss a moment of the action as the Baysox attempt to bring home their first Eastern League championship. Individual game tickets and ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the Baysox box office at (301) 464-4865.
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