EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox Send SeaWolves Packing

July 7, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


(Bowie, MD) - The Baysox swept a four-game series from the SeaWolves with a 4-3 victory Monday night. Starter David Hernandez worked just 4.1 innings and gave up three runs on two hits before being ejected after being relieved in the top of the fifth. Only two of the runs were earned. Felix Romero earned the win with 2.2 hitless innings of work.

The SeaWolves jumped out to an early lead with a run in the top of the second. Ryan Roberson led off with a walk and stole second base. Pedro Cotto hit a single up the middle to bring Roberson home and give Erie a 1-0 lead.

The Baysox answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Nolan Reimold led off with a base hit into left field and stole second with Jeff Nettles at the plate. Nettles pulled a base hit through the hole between third and short to move Reimold to third. Steve Torrealba walked to load the bases and Nolan Reimold came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Rojas to tie the game at 1-1.

Erie pushed another run across in the top half of the third inning without getting a hit. Wilkin Ramirez drew a two-out walk and stole second base. Matt Wieters tried to get Ramirez at second but threw the ball into center field for an error. Ramirez moved to third base on the throw and came in to score on a wild pitch by Hernandez to give the SeaWolves a 2-1 lead.

The SeaWolves put up another run in the top of the fifth when Casper Wells led off with a line drive homerun over the wall in left field to give Erie a 3-1 lead. David Hernandez got Shawn Roof on strikes and walked Will Rhymes before manager Brad Komminsk came out of the dugout to bring Romero in. Hernandez began walking toward the dugout but paused to exchange words with home plate umpire Mark Buchanan. Buchanan ejected Hernandez even though he had already been replaced, "My emotions got the best of me. I wish I wouldn't have gotten tossed but there's nothing I can do about it now. It's actually my first time being ejected in pro ball. It wasn't my emotions tonight it just seems like a rough trend, every time I go out there it's at least three walks and it's just frustrating. At this point I'm just trying to throw strikes."

Despite throwing only 4.1 innings and getting ejected, pitching coach Mike Griffin was not disappointed in Hernandez's start, "David's done a very good job keeping his emotions in check the last month of the season. I thought he was pitching pretty good for the most part. He wasn't quite at his best but he battled, still made some good pitches. The homerun was the only hard hit ball off him tonight."

Felix Romero came on and closed out the SeaWolves in the fifth. Romero worked 2.2 outstanding innings, giving up no hits and striking out three. The only blemish was one hit batter, but Romero pitched a great game. Griffin was pleased with what he saw, "Well Felix did a heck of a job. What he did was, he held us there. And that's his job, is to hold us there, to give us a chance to come back or tie it up or whatever. And so you've gotta give Felix a lot of credit tonight. He's still learning how to use his pitches, learning how to command his three pitches still and he's made a lot of progress this year, I'm proud of what he has accomplished. You know what, everybody knows he's got a good changeup but he has really worked on his fastball and slider too, those are coming along really well."

The Baysox came back to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Steve Torrealba led off the inning with a towering homerun over the left field wall. Carlos Rojas drew a walk and Blake Davis followed with a base hit up the middle. Mike Rodriguez came up to the plate with runners on first and second with one out and hit a hard ground ball to first base that Ryan Roberson could not handle. Roberson bobbled the ball and forced a hurried throw to the pitcher Luke French at first base. French couldn't handle it and Carlos Rojas alertly rounded third base and slid around a late tag at the plate to score. Davis moved to third on the play and Lou Montanez brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give the Baysox a 4-3 lead.

Gerardo Casadiego came on for Romero in the eighth inning and gave up just one hit in retiring the side. Julio Manon came on to pitch a perfect ninth inning and earn his 22nd save. Manon saved three games for the Baysox this series, without allowing a single baserunner.

With the sweep, the Baysox improve to 52-38, second place in the Southern Division. They begin a week-long road trip in Akron on Tuesday that ends with the All-Star break before returning to Bowie to face Reading July 17th. Tuesday, the Baysox will send RHP Zach Clark (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound for his first start at the AA level. Clark will go up against Akron LHP Scott Lewis (3-2, 5.28 ERA).

The 17th will be a doubleheader against the Reading Phillies. Gates open at 5:30 and the first game begins at 6:05 pm. The second game will begin thirty minutes after the completion of the first game. In accordance with Minor League Baseball rules, both games will be seven-inning affairs. The doubleheader is also Lindsay Czarniak Night at Prince George's Stadium. For more information or to buy tickets for Lindsay Czarniak Night, visit www.baysox.com.

The Bowie Baysox are in their 16th season as the "AA" affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Baysox individual game tickets, season ticket plans, group outings, picnics and birthday parties are currently available for booking by calling the Baysox front office at (301) 464-4880.

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