MWL1 Burlington Bees

Bees Win Another Nail Biter Over Loons

Published on July 17, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Burlington Bees News Release


Midland, MI (July 16, 2007) - The Great Lakes Loons (7-15, 41-51) had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Aaron Hartsock and Jim Wladyka combined to strand all three runners and save the Burlington Bees (13-10, 43-49) 4-3 win at Dow Diamond tonight. The Bees win this series 3-1 and won the season series 5-3 over the Loons. Every game in the season series was decided by three runs or less and each game in this series went down to the final at-bat.

The scoring was slow to start tonight as the game was scoreless through five innings. Bees' starter Matt Kniginyzky worked through 4.1 innings before feeling a twinge in his right shoulder on a pitch to Juan Rivera. Kniginyzky was making his third start with the Bees tonight since finishing his rehab from off-season shoulder surgery. He was pulled from the game for precautionary reasons and will be examined by a doctor. Henry Barrera came in with a man on second and stranded him to keep the game scoreless. The Loons got on the board in the sixth. With runners on second and third and one out, a passed ball brought in Josh Bell from third and moved Tommy Giles to second. Matt Berezay then hit a slow chopper to first. Giles didn't break from third until Jase Turner's flip went behind Barrera coming over to cover first and rolled away for an error. Barrera got a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning and both runs were unearned.

The Bees responded in the top of the seventh inning. Loons' starter Arismendy Castillo had allowed just three hits over the first six innings, but hit Michael Thompson with a pitch and gave up a single to Jeff Bianchi to start the inning. Miguel Sanfler was called out of the Loons' bullpen. Matt Morizio laid down a bunt to move the runners and placed the bunt so well up the third base line that he also beat the play to first to load the bases. Sanfler threw a wild pitch to bring in Thompson with one run before striking out Turner and Jamar Walton. Before he could get out of the inning, a passed ball allowed Bianchi to score the tying run. The Bees then took the lead in the top of the eighth. With one out and Joe Dickerson at first, the Loons brought in Joe Jones from the bullpen and Brady Everett lined his first pitch to the gap in right-center field for a double that drove in Dickerson all the way from first. After a strikeout, Bianchi doubled into the right field corner to plate Everett an put the Bees up 4-2.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Giles doubled and Berezay walked. Hartsock came in for Barrera and gave up an RBI single to Preston Mattingly that got the Loons back to within one. Hartsock got out of the inning with a flyout and a popout. In the bottom of the ninth, Adolfo Gonzalez led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Trayvon Robinson bunted to get him to third and ended up at first as Hartsock slipped and fell coming in to field the ball. A walk to Eduardo Perez loaded the bases. Hartsock caught Bell looking a strike three on a 3-2 pitch for the first out. Wladyka then came in, struck out Giles, and got Berezay to groundout weakly to first base to end the game. Barrera (1-0) picked up the win while Wladyka earned for his second save. Sanfler (2-4) got his second loss in this series.

With Peoria off tonight, this win moves the Bees into a first place tie with the Chiefs in the Midwest League's Western Division. The Bees continue this road trip with a four-game series at Lansing. Game one is tomorrow night at 6:05 Central Time from Oldsmobile Park. LH Everett Teaford (3-8, 5.54) will start for the Bees against RH Zach Dials (4-4, 4.90) for the Lugnuts. The game will be broadcast live on KBUR AM 1490 and KBKB AM 1360 with the pre-game show starting at 5:45.

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Midwest League Stories from July 17, 2007


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