Sports stats



EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox Split Doubleheader

August 1, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Baysox split Saturday evening's doubleheader with the New Britain Rock Cats. After winning the first game 7-4, Bowie lost the nightcap 3-2. With the split the Baysox are 58-49, and the move into sole possession of third place in the Southern Division. Bowie trails Reading by 2.5 games for the final playoff spot.

The Baysox gave left-handed starter Brian Matusz an early lead in the first game of the doubleheader. Left fielder Jonathan Tucker doubled to lead off the game and scored on a groundout by second baseman Miguel Abreu. Matusz pitched a scoreless bottom of the first inning, and the lead grew in the top of the second.

Second baseman Paco Figueroa led off the top of the second inning with a double to center field. Right fielder Dave Krynzel followed with an RBI double to break out of an 0-for-16 slump. Krynzel scored on a one-out single by shortstop Robert Valido, and Valido advanced to second on the throw to the plate. After a Jason White groundout moved Valido to third, Tucker hit a ball back up the middle for an RBI single. Center fielder Daniel Figueroa capped off the scoring with and RBI triple to right field.

With the Baysox now leading 5-0, Matusz was relieved by right-hander Zach Clark to start the second inning. No reason for the substitution was announced. Clark allowed a two-out two-RBI single to Rene Tosoni in the bottom of the second inning to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Baysox added an insurance run on a bizarre play in the fourth inning. White drew a one-out walk and was safe at second when New Britain shortstop Yancarlos Ortiz dropped a potential double play ball off the bat of Tucker at second base. Now with runners on first and second and one out, the Baysox attempted a double steal with Daniel Figueroa at the plate. Figueroa hit a ground ball to Ortiz and the shortstop threw to second to try to start a double play. Tucker beat the throw to second and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek threw to first to retire Figueroa, but White snuck around third and scored on the play. In the fifth inning, Eric Crozier led off with a triple and scored on a single by Paco Figueroa to put the Baysox up 7-2.

The Rock Cats mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning off Baysox All-Star reliever Ryan Ouellette. Brian Dinkelman launched a two-run home run to right field to cut the lead to 7-4. After a pair of singles, New Britain brought the tying run to the plate with one out. Ouellette bore down and retired Grudzielanek and Luke Hughes on ground balls to preserve the lead. Fellow All-Star Chad Thall retired the Rock Cats in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to record his first save of the season.

New Britain struck first in game two when Dinkelman lifted a double to right field in the bottom of the first inning. Steven Singleton scored on the play, but right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion gunned Hughes down at the plate to end the inning.

The Baysox took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Valido led off with a double to left field and scored on a triple by White. Two batters later, Daniel Figueroa lifted a fly ball to left put the Baysox on top 2-1.

Bascom ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dinkelman continued his huge day with a leadoff double to left. Whitney Robbins lined a one-out single to left to score Dinkelman and advanced to second on the throw home. Bascom intentionally walked Brandon Roberts to set up a potential double play and struck out Jeff Christey for the second out. Singleton came up with a huge hit for the Rock Cats, lining a single right field to score Dinkelman and put the Rock Cats up 3-2. Dinkelman went 5-for-6 on the day, with three doubles, a home run, three runs and three RBI.

The Baysox mounted their final threat in the top of the sixth inning. Crozier drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a one-out single by Abreu. The Rock Cats went to closer Anthony Slama to record the last five outs. Slama struck out Paco Figueroa before Concepcion struck out swinging to end the inning. Slama also retired the Baysox in order in the top of the seventh to record his 22nd save.

The teams will meet for the final time this season Sunday at 1:35 p.m. The Baysox have not announced a starting pitcher yet, the Rock Cats will send LHP Ryan Mullins (6-10, 4.70 ERA) to the hill. The Baysox will head to New Hampshire after the game to take on the Fisher Cats in a three-game series.

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.

Check out the Chesapeake Baysox Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...

Eastern League Stories from August 1, 2009


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.

Other Recent Chesapeake Baysox Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central