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Chesapeake Baysox

Baysox Win Battle of the Bombs

June 20, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


BOWIE, Md. - The Harrisburg Senators hit solo home runs in each of the first three innings on Sunday, but the Baysox got the last laugh as they sent the game to extra innings and defeated the Senators 5-4 with a walk-off home run by first baseman Brandon Waring.

It was the fifth extra-innings game between the Baysox and Senators this year and capped off the season series between the clubs. The Baysox won 13 of the 17 games in the series.

Starting pitcher Ryohei Tanaka gave up three runs on the early homers, but the damage was limited as all three were hit with the bases empty. He finished with a total of eight hits allowed through 5.0 innings of work.

"I don't think he had his best stuff today," said Pitching Coach Kennie Steenstra. "He wasn't looking good there the first couple innings, but he did do a good job minimizing damage. He gave up those home runs, but got himself out of a couple other jams with double play balls. He did what he had to do to get us through five at least."

Senators second baseman Michael Martinez launched the first pitch of the game over the wall in right field to open a 1-0 lead, which designated hitter Tim Pahuta doubled with one out in the top of the second with a homer to right-center.

Baysox right fielder Joel Guzman kept his club in the game with a home run to left center to open the bottom of the second inning and cut the deficit to 2-1. The Senators quickly recaptured the two-run lead in the top of the third inning when left fielder Marvin Lowrance hit his team's third home run, just inside the right field foul pole.

"When you have the bases loaded or runners in scoring position, you can try to do too much," said Guzman, who has hit 10 solo home runs this year. "I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to say being selfish, but with people on base to work it deep in the count, it's hard sometimes to hit with runners in scoring position. I just try to maintain my same at-bat. I wish would hit it with people on bases, but that's the way it is sometimes."

Harrisburg third baseman Adam Fox helped the Baysox to a second run in the bottom of the third, dropping Danny Figueroa's ground ball to let the center fielder reach first base. Second baseman Ryan Adams hit a line drive into center field that moved Figueroa to third, where he was able to score when Fox was again unable to handle a ground ball from Baysox third baseman Tyler Henson.

The Baysox tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shortstop Carlos Rojas drew a walk with one out and moved to second when Figueroa did the same. Adams hit a ground ball to third base that forced Figueroa out at second but moved Rojas 90 feet closer to home plate. Henson, who has hit .355 in 16 games against the Senators, drove Rojas in with a double to left field to tie the game.

Harrisburg reclaimed the lead in the seventh inning with a well-manufactured run. Fox doubled to left field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Martinez. He crossed home when Espinosa drilled a line drive into left field for a 4-3 lead.

Guzman was the man of the hour once again in the bottom of the eighth inning, crushing Harrisburg reliever Cole Kimball's 3-1 fastball into the left field scoreboard for his 17th home run of the season, giving him sole possession of the Eastern League lead. With 17 home runs through 69 games this year, Guzman is on pace to challenge Walter Young's single-season franchise record of 33 home runs, hit in 2004.

"I got back a 3-1 count, and the pitcher throws a pretty good fastball, 95, 96," Guzman said. "I was getting my fastball on 3-1, and I just put a good head on it."

"Guzman's been big for the club," said Baysox Field Coach Moe Hill. "He motivates a lot of guys because everyone knows he has ungodly power. He's showed it here. Last year he was sitting on the other side of the field [with Harrisburg] hitting them against us. I think he only hit 12 there. [Orioles minor league roving hitting instructor Denny Walling] and I did some adjusting, talking to him, and he kind of changes his approach and it's paying off. Right now, if he keeps that pace, he's on pace to hit 20, 25, 30 plus home runs. And I'd like to see that, and drive in 100 runs, that means more wins for us."

The Baysox came agonizingly close to winning the game in the ninth and then the 10th innings, putting runners on second base with one out in both innings. Waring led off the 11th inning and slammed the first pitch he saw over the right field wall, to send the Father's Day crowd of 4,977 into a frenzy as he was greeted by a mass of his teammates at the plate.

"I was just looking for a good pitch to hit," Waring said. "I wasn't trying to do much, I just wanted to get on base. I had some good at-bats today and I was just trying to get down early and see the ball. It was a pitch over the plate and I put good wood on it."

The win pushes the Baysox to 36-33 and keeps them in playoff position in second place, 8.5 games behind league leaders Altoona.

"The past couple games we've been down and we've been coming back," Waring said. "It was a good game, exciting, and we'll take it into the off day and go on the road next week and use that as momentum."

After a day off Monday, the Baysox are back in action with a six-game road trip to Reading and Altoona, with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at Reading on Tuesday, June 22. They return to Bowie on Monday, June 28, for seven games against the Erie SeaWolves and Akron Aeros. The series with Erie includes Daddy/Daughter Date Night on Wednesday, June 30. Fathers and their daughters can get two reserved tickets and two hot dogs for $20, with additional tickets available for $10 each.

The Aeros roll in to town during the Baysox All-American Weekend, featuring fireworks shows on July 2, 3 and 4. Saturday, July 3, is Stress Less Saturday, with a chance to win a family vacation courtesy of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Sunday, July 4, is the Baysox Independence Day Celebration, with a spectacular extended fireworks show and an auction of special stars-and-stripes Baysox jerseys that will benefit AMVETS.

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