EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox Feast On Familiar Foe

Published on July 17, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


BOWIE, Md. - The Baysox came out blazing in their return from the All-Star break, pounding out a season-high 21 hits and holding on for a 13-11 win over first place Akron. Designated hitter Joe Nowicki had four hits and drove in four runs, but a torrid comeback by the Aeros had the Baysox scrambling to right the ship after jumping out to a seven-run lead. The two teams combined for 39 hits, but the Baysox prevailed and move to within 4.0 games of the Aeros for the Southern Division lead.

Left-hander Bobby Livingston took the mound for the Aeros, but was greeted harshly by his former team as the Baysox jumped out to a five-run first inning. Left fielder Dave Krynzel led off the game with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Robert Valido. First baseman Eric Crozier followed with a single to put men at first and second with nobody out. Mike Costanzo, making his first career start at shortstop, brought home Valido with an RBI single. After a walk to catcher Adam Donachie, third baseman Guillermo Rodriguez brought Crozier home with a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-0. Center fielder Danny Figueroa and Nowicki followed with RBI singles to give the Baysox a 5-0 lead.

Akron tallied a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Jared Goedert, but the Baysox came out swinging again in the third inning against Livingston. After a walk to Costanzo to lead off the inning, Donachie laced an RBI double. One batter later, Figueroa singled to put runners at first and third with one out. Livingston uncorked his second wild pitch of the inning to score Donachie from third, and Nowicki followed with an RBI double to score Figueroa to extend the Baysox lead to seven.

After pitching in the Futures Game on Sunday, Baysox starter Brian Matusz showed some rust in his first start since July 7. The left-hander allowed three runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to 8-4. Three straight hits loaded the bases with nobody out to start the inning, and Goedert followed with a two-run single. Matusz induced Armando Camacaro to ground into a double-play, but Matt McBride came across with Akron's fourth run of the game.

The Baysox struck for two more in the fifth inning on RBI singles by Nowicki and Krynzel, chasing Livingston from the game after allowing 10 earned runs on eleven hits. Matusz continued to struggle however, allowing a two-run blast to Goedert in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 10-6. Goedert feasted on Baysox pitchers all night, going 3-for-4 with six RBI for the Aeros. Matusz left the game after 5.0 innings, allowing six earned runs on eleven hits but still picking up his fifth win of the season. Since May 8, Matusz had allowed six earned runs combined during a span of ten starts between Class A Frederick and Bowie.

A walk and four consecutive singles gave the Baysox two more runs in the top of the sixth inning against the Aeros bullpen. Nowicki brought home a run with his fourth hit of the ballgame, and an RBI single by Krynzel extended the Baysox lead to 12-6. Marred in a 2-for-31 slump coming into the game, Nowicki broke out in a big way by pounding out four hits to raise his average to .234 on the season. Krynzel also had four hits, a season-high for the Baysox outfielder.

Right-hander Zachary Clark came on for Matusz, but did not fare much better as Akron struck for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the lead to two. Five straight singles pushed three runs across before Clark was replaced in favor of right-hander Jim Hoey. John Drennen collected Akron's sixth consecutive single, driving home Carlos Rivero and making the score 12-10.

Akron cut the lead to one in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Jose Constanza drew a free pass to start the inning against Hoey. The right-hander walked Cristo Arnal to put runners on first and second, as Luis Lebron came on to try and quell the Aeros rally. A sacrifice bunt by Matt McBride moved the runners into scoring position for Goedert, who lifted a sacrifice fly to make it a 12-11 game. Arnal stole third to put the tying run 90 feet away with two outs, but Lebron got Camacaro to fly out to left to end the inning.

Krynzel led off the ninth inning with a triple to center against Akron right-hander Matt Meyer. One batter later, Crozier brought home an all-important insurance run with an RBI single to left to make the score 13-11.

Lebron stayed on in the ninth for the Baysox, looking to close out a wild night with a Baysox victory. Mickey Hall reached on an error by Valido with one out, bringing the tying run to the plate with one out. Drennan lined a ball to second baseman Miguel Abreu, who flipped the ball over to first to double up Hall and end the game. It was the Baysox fourth double-play of the night, as Lebron earned his second save of the season after 2.0 scoreless innings of work.

The two teams will do battle again tomorrow night in Akron, as RHP Radhames Liz (3-1, 2.81) takes the mound against Aeros LHP Ryan Edell (2-1, 2.43). Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.

The Baysox 17th season as the class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is going strong! 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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Eastern League Stories from July 17, 2009


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