EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Flying Squirrels Soar Over Spoone

Published on May 1, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


RICHMOND, Va.. -- The Bowie Baysox lost their seventh straight game Saturday night, 6-4 to the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The skid is Bowie's worst run since they lost seven straight from June 17-23 in 2008 and drops them to 12-11 in third place in the Eastern League's Western Division, four games behind the Altoona Curve.

Errors were once again Bowie's undoing as three unearned runs provided the difference in the game.

The Flying Squirrels got off to a flying start against Baysox starting pitcher Chorye Spoone. Darren Ford led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to center field before moving to third and scoring on an infield single to put the Squirrels up 1-0. With two on and nobody out, Spoone forced Conor Gillispie to ground into a double play and struck out Roger Kieschnick to end the inning without any further damage.

Richmond didn't let up on the Pasadena, Md. native in the second inning. Catcher Jackson Williams, second baseman Nick Noonan and designated hitter Clay Timpner hit consecutive singles to load the bases before Spoone walked Ford to force in another run. Shortstop Brandon Crawford followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Noonan to make it 3-0 for Richmond. Spoone loaded the bases one more time by walking Neal before getting out of the inning with a fly out to Baysox center fielder Danny Figueroa.

The Baysox made their first mark on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. Shortstop Pedro Florimon made it to first base on a fielding error by his counterpart, Crawford, and advanced to second when Paco Figueroa grounded out. He reached third on a wild pitch by Richmond starter Clayton Tanner and scored when designated hitter Ryan Adams singled to left field.

Spoone retired the Squirrels in order in the bottom of the third inning, but Richmond tacked on another run in the fourth frame. Second baseman Paco Figueroa allowed Noonan to reach base with a throwing error and Noonan moved to second on a wild pitch, the first of two that Spoone would throw in the inning. Crawford hit a two-out single to center field to send Noonan home for an unearned run that made the score 4-1.

Bowie countered with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. Danny Figueroa walked to lead off the inning and catcher Caleb Joseph singled to left. The runners moved to second and third with no outs when Tanner threw his second wild pitch of the game to Florimon, and the Baysox shortstop followed with a single to shallow left field that sent Figueroa across the plate. Florimon and Joseph moved to second and third on a passed ball, allowing Joseph to score on a sacrifice fly by Paco Figueroa to pull the Baysox within a run.

It seemed like every time the Baysox got something positive going offensively, the Flying Squirrels would respond by piling on more runs to keep the Baysox from building any momentum. Right-hander Zach Clark came on to relieve Spoone in the fifth inning and gave up a one-out single to outfielder Roger Kieschnick. First baseman Robbie Widlansky made a fielding error on the next play to put Andy D'Alessio on first and Clark loaded the bases by hitting Williams. Noonan grounded into a force out that retired Williams at second, but plated Kieschnick. Richmond added on one more insurance run when Timpner doubled to right field to send D'Alessio across the plate.

Clark pitched admirably beyond the two unearned runs charged to him. He lasted three innings and retired six of the next seven batters he faced.

Widlansky tried to atone for his error by slamming his first home run of the year to right field on a 3-1 pitch in the ninth inning, but that was all the offense the Baysox could muster late in the game as they went down 6-4.

Though it is discouraging that the Baysox have dropped seven straight games, fans can take comfort in the fact that Bowie last endured such a stretch in 2008, with a team that went on to tie the best record in franchise history and make the playoffs.

The Baysox hope to avoid their second consecutive series sweep in the series' final game Sunday at 2:05 p.m. and will enjoy the support of dozens of Baysox fans who will be coming down on the team's first bus trip of the year. Their 10-game road trip will move on to Harrisburg on Monday before a three-game set with Trenton over the weekend.

The team returns to Bowie on May 10 to open another series against the Flying Squirrels. That first game back will be the Baysox inaugural Beard-a-Palooza, where any fan with a beard may purchase half-priced lower reserved seat tickets ($7) for the game, limit one per beard. Fans who cannot grow a beard are encouraged to make one! Between-inning contests include "What's In the Beard" and longest and most colorful beards.

Think Outside The Box with the Baysox in 2010. The Baysox 18th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway. Catch all the action in Natural Definition! Baysox full-season and partial-season ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the group sales department at (301) 464-4880.

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Eastern League Stories from May 1, 2010


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