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Bowie Baysox

Baysox Celebrate After Loss

August 28, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Bowie Baysox News Release


(Bowie, MD) - The Baysox allowed 9 runs on a season-high 17 hits, dropping their final regular season home game to Trenton 9-3 before clinching home field advantage with an Akron loss following the game. Akron lost the second game in a doubleheader to Altoona, solidifying the Baysox hold on first place in the Southern Division.

Individual game tickets for Baysox home playoff games are now on sale! The Baysox will host the Akron Aeros in the first round Wendesday, September 3 and Thursday, September 4. If the teams split the first two games of the series, they will return to Prince George's Stadium for a decisive game 5 Sunday, September 7. Playoff tickets are available now at www.baysox.com.

Jason Berken looked to be rolling before running into trouble in the top of the third inning. Chris Malec led off with a base hit and Carlos Mendoza hit a single to center field. Malec tried to go first-to-third on the play, but Mike Rodriguez gunned him down for the first out of the inning. Mendoza advanced to second on the play. James Cooper drew a walk and Reegie Corona hit an infield single to load the bases. Ramiro Pena smacked a single to right field, plating Mendoza to give Trenton the lead and keeping the bases loaded. Kevin Russo hit a dribbler in front of the mound that Berken fielded and threw home in an attempt to get Cooper at the plate, but the throw was late. With the bases still loaded, Edwar Gonzalez hit a soft ground ball between the pitcher's mound and first base. Jeff Nettles fielded it and tried to get Gonzalez at first but threw the ball into the dugout. Corona and Pena each came in to score and Russo and Gonzalez moved to second and third on the error. Colin Curtis roped a base hit up the middle to score Russo and Gonzalez, making the score 6-0 Thunder before Berken got a double play to end the inning.

Matt Wieters stole second base in the bottom of the second inning with two outs. It was his first steal in 58 games for Bowie and his second of the season, "They just ended up playing behind me with Rodriguez batting. He got down two strikes and I figured I'd try it and maybe he'd get a hit and I'd have a chance to score a run. If I got caught, he'd start the next inning with a new count."

Berken lasted just 4.0 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits; five of the runs were earned. After the smooth start, the Thunder lineup started to get to Berken, "I felt good early. My stuff was really good. It was just one of those things, I mean they got three infield singles and I walked a guy which didn't help but it was one of those nights where things don't go your way. I thought I made pretty good pitches but I got hit, so you gotta tip your cap."

Felix Romero came on to take over for Berken in the fifth inning and started some controversy. With two outs in the top of the sixth, Romero threw his first pitch in the dirt to Trenton's Ramiro Pena. His next pitch was clear behind Pena and home plate umpire Johnny Conrad didn't hesitate to toss Romero and warn both benches. Chad Thall came on for Romero and struck Pena out to end the inning.

The Thunder added runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings. Pena scored on an RBI groundout by Curtis in the top of the fifth to make it 7-0. They pushed the lead to 8-0 on back-to-back doubles by Mendoza and Corona in the top of the sixth.

The Baysox got three runs back on a monster homerun by Jeff Nettles in the bottom of the sixth. Carlos Rojas struck out to lead off the inning and Trenton starter Jeff Marquez hit Nolan Reimold with a pitch, earning himself and Thunder manager Tony Franklin ejections from Conrad. Matt Wieters hit a single to put runners on first and second and Nettles drove a three-run bomb off the scoreboard in left field to make the score 8-3 Thunder. It was Nettles' 24th homerun of the year, moving him within two bombs of the league leader, Lou Montanez. If Nettles reaches 26 before Monday in Harrisburg, he could block Montanez from winning the Triple Crown. Nettles doesn't think it will happen, "No, not thinking about it. I think Montanez will get the Triple Crown. Whether he does or not, I mean I could get hot in Harrisburg - who knows what will happen. I mean he's in the big leagues, he's had an incredible season."

The Thunder added one more run in the top of the seventh when Kevin Russo led off with a single. With two outs, P.J. Pilitterre singled to right field, putting runners on first and second. Chris Malec pushed a base hit up the middle to score Russo and make the Trenton lead 9-3.

With the loss, the Baysox move to 82-56 on the year. With Akron's loss Thursday, the Baysox have clinched home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Baysox will begin their final series of the regular season in Harrisburg Friday with RHP Brad Bergesen (15-5, 3.11 ERA) going up against Senators RHP Jordan Zimmermann (6-2, 3.28 ERA).

The Bowie Baysox are out to Beat The Streaks in their 16th season as the "AA" affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Baysox have not reached the postseason since 1997 and have never reached the Eastern League Championship. Playoff tickets and tickets for all remaining regular season games are available on www.baysox.com or by calling the box office at (301) 464-4865.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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