Hate the Drake: Lefty Dominates as Baysox Take Series
Published on May 28, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
BOWIE, Md. - Baysox left-hander and Naval Academy product Oliver Drake tossed six one-hit innings on a hot Memorial Day in Bowie, and the Curve's bats found themselves blanked for the sixth time in 2012, victims of a 4-0 loss to conclude a four-game series at Prince George's Stadium.
Drake (1-1) was dominant on this Monday, not allowing a Curve baserunner to reach via hit until the fifth on a disputed infield single by Altoona's Anthony Norman. Drake, making his fourth start of the year and second against the Curve, otherwise issued three walks and hit a batter but struck out three and didn't permit a man past second base on the day.
By the time Drake departed following six innings, his offense had gotten him more than enough support. The Baysox got their first tally on a run-scoring double play in the bottom of the third and two more in the fifth on a two-out homer from Zelous Wheeler. Bowie added a run in the eighth inning for insurance. Altoona starter Phil Irwin (0-3) put up a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings of work, but didn't have much of a chance with Drake silencing his team's offense on the other side.
Behind their starter, Bowie's relief corps of Robert Hinton, Cole McCurry, and Pat Egan combined to permit just two more hits through the game's final three innings. The Curve posed their biggest threat too late in the affair, putting Matt Curry and Tony Sanchez on via a single and walk with two outs in the ninth. Ramon Cabrera grounded into a force play to end the day with the tying run in the on-deck circle. Altoona batted just twice with runners in scoring position and didn't record a hit, leaving six men on the basepaths as a team.
The Curve, who won the series opener of this four-game set before dropping three straight, return home on a Two-for-Tuesday for the first game of three with the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona sends right-hander Brandon Cumpton (5-4, 3.81) to the hill for the opener opposite Richmond's Justin Fitzgerald (3-2, 4.53)with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Airtime on ESPN 1430 and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 5:35.
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