EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox split series opening twin bill with New Britain

June 20, 2006 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


June 20, 2006 - Bowie Plays 17 Innings, Splits DH with Rock Cats 3-5 & 4-3 It's official. Bowie and New Britain love playing extra innings against each other.

On May 8th the Rock Cats and Baysox played 16 innings in a 7-9 Baysox loss. Tuesday night wouldn't be much different.

In the Baysox fourth doubleheader this season, the New Britain Rock Cats came to Bowie to make up a rained out game that was originally scheduled for June 4th in New Britain. Tonight, game one was the makeup game and Game Two was the originally scheduled game for June 20th.

Since both games were night games the two teams were slated to play two seven inning games.

RHP James Johnson took on the Cats in the first game and went 7.0 full IP but gave up three earned runs on seven hits and three walks. The Baysox offense, however, helped Johnson out the best they could as they got the New Yorker two runs before he left the game at the end of the 7th and was replaced by closer Marino Salas.

The visiting Rock Cats scored three runs in the top of the 1st inning off Johnson before he settled down and once again the Baysox would have to play catch up. And that is just what they would do.

Tony Alvarez led off the bottom of the 2nd with a single up the middle, was moved over to second by Leo Daigle's single to right, both runners advanced a bag on a passed ball and Alvarez scored easily on Mario Delgado's 18th RBI of the season - a fly out to right field.

In the 5th frame Delgado doubled down the left field line and after finding himself at third base, thanks to a Rayner Bautista sac bunt, and the designated hitter scored on Pete Shier's grounder to second base.

In the 7th inning the Baysox found themselves down 3-2 in their last at-bats. Bautista came to bat with one out and a man on and ended up grounding into a fielder's choice erasing Daigle at second, but advanced to second on an wide throw from the Rock Cats second sacker. With Bautista on second pinch-hitter Jeff Fiorentino, who hasn't played the last five games due to a sore hamstring, slapped a single that just barely squeaked past the outstretched arms of both New Britain's first baseman and second baseman allowing Bautista to score the game tying run.

Although the game was scheduled for seven innings the Baysox run in the bottom of the 7th tied the game and forced extra innings for the 11th time this season.

New Britain would gain the advantage off Salas in the top of the 9th inning scoring two runs on three hits while Tristan Crawford game in to quell the Baysox hopes of another come-from-behind victory.

Game two would play out much like game one with both teams locked at three runs at the end of regulation and heading to an unprecedented 12th extra innings game for the Baysox.

However this time the Baysox would strike first for three runs in the 1st inning off Rock Cats starter John Thomas while Richard Stahl allowed the visitors back into the game with two runs in the 2nd and another in the 3rd.

In their last at bats in the 7th inning all three Baysox batters struck out sending the game into extras at 3-3 again.

However, this time the Baysox would prevail as Tripper Johnson got things started in the bottom of the 8th with a single to deep shortstop, moved to third on a Cory Keylor single and a Tony Alvarez fielder's choice and scored the winning run as Noah Hall dribbled an inside pitch down the first base line that was fielded by New Britain's pitcher, Julio DePaula, who made an off-balance throw to the plate in an attempt to gun out Johnson but the throw sailed high and Johnson tagged the dish with the winning run of the game.

Quite a number of the 3,879 paid attendance stuck around to watch their Baysox split the doubleheader with New Britain.

ON DECK: New Britain and Bowie head back onto the field on Wednesday evening at 7:05 for just one game. The newest member of the Baysox pitching staff, Garrett Olson, will make his AA debut tomorrow night against Matt Garza.

Check out the Chesapeake Baysox Statistics



Eastern League Stories from June 20, 2006


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