EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox Cool off Aeros in Patton's Return to the Hill

Published on April 10, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


AKRON, Ohio - The Baysox got a two-run single from Brandon Snyder and 5.0 strong innings from Troy Patton to win their first game of the season in rainy Akron, 3-0. Patton took the mound for the first time in more than a year, completing the long road back to mound after shoulder surgery which caused him to miss all of 2008.

Making his first appearance in the Orioles organization since being acquired from the Astros in the Miguel Tejada deal, Patton struggled to find his control early walking Carlos Rivero and Carlos Santana in the first inning. Aeros left-fielder Nick Weglarz stroked a single into left field and Rivero rounded third looking to score the first run of the game. Baysox left fielder Jeff Fiorentino came up and fired a strike to nail Rivero at the plate ending the Aeros scoring chance. Patton managed to settle down and did not allow the Aeros to get anything going offensively, allowing just three hits and three walks while striking out three. The win was Patton's first since August 7, 2007.

The Baysox got on the board in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Guillermo Rodriguez got it started hitting an opposite field double off Aeros starter Josh Tomlin. Miguel Abreu then stepped to the plate and drove him home with an RBI single into left giving the Baysox the lead 1-0.

They added to their lead in the sixth inning, capitalizing on the control issues of Aeros reliever Neil Wagner who walked Robert Valido and Paco Figueroa to start the inning. Jonathan Tucker then layed down a sacrifice bunt putting runners on second and third for a red-hot Brandon Snyder, who laced a two-run single to right putting the Baysox ahead 3-0. Snyder has picked up right where he left off last season when he hit .388 last August for Class A Frederick, he's now hitting .385(5-14) with 4 RBI in his first three games for the Baysox.

Three runs turned out to be more than enough for the Baysox bullpen, who took over for Patton in the bottom of the sixth inning. Josh Perrault came on for the second consecutive night and shut down the Aeros bats, allowing no hits and one walk through 2.0 innings of relief. Chad Thall came on and worked a scoreless eighth allowing a walk while striking out two.

The ninth inning did not come without drama, as the Aeros refused to go quietly off Baysox closer Wilfrido Perez. Carlos Santana walked to start the inning and Nick Weglarz followed with his second single of the night. After Perez got Jared Goedert to fly out to center moving Santana to third, he induced Niuman Romero to ground into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to give the Baysox their first win of the season. The save was Perez's first since July 21, 2008 and snapped the Baysox four-game losing skid to Akron dating back to the playoffs last September.

The two teams will close out the series tomorrow afternoon when Brandon Erbe makes his season debut against the Aeros Steven Wright.

The Baysox 17th season as the class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway! The team will play its first game at Prince George's Stadium on Thursday, April 16. 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 ticket sales department at (301) 464-4865.

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Eastern League Stories from April 10, 2009


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