Important Game Left on Base in 5-3 Loss

Published on August 27, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


South Bend, IN - The South Bend Silver Hawks entered Friday's game with the Dayton Dragons 3.5 games out of a playoff spot and in desperate need of a victory. Any thoughts of the win were left on base when the Silver Hawks stranded 12 runners in falling 5-3 in the series finale with the Dragons. Coupled with a West Michigan victory over Lansing, the Silver Hawks have dropped 4.5 games out of a playoff spot with 10 remaining in the regular season.

A large crowd saw the Silver Hawks fall behind early when Tommy Nurre took South Bend starter Mike Belfiore (LP, 2-10) deep in the top of the second inning for a three run homer and the early Dragons lead. Belfiore would also allow a RBI double to Henry Rodriguez in the fifth inning, but the left hander still turned in 8.0 innings allowing just the four runs on 13 hits.

As always for Belfiore, the problem was his teammates getting him run support as he's now received three runs of support or less in 14 of his 23 starts.

After going 1-2-3 in the first, the Silver Hawks had runners on base in every remaining inning, but they also stranded runners in every remaining inning. It started in the second inning when Bobby Borchering led off with a double, but never left second base, and it got a lot worse from there.

With two on and two out in the third, David Nick hit a RBI double but Chris Jarrett was thrown out the plate, keeping it a 3-1 game as the Silver Hawks stranded a second runner.

Borchering singled to lead off the fourth, and Ramon Castillo doubled him home to make it 3-2. Castillo went to third on the throw home, but was stranded there as Jacob Johnson (WP, 8-6) got the next three outs without allow the runner to score the tying run.

After Dayton scored in the top of the fifth, double plays ended threats in the fifth and seventh innings while the Silver Hawks left another runner at third in the sixth inning.

After scoring a run in the eighth on a passed ball to get back within one, South Bend had the bases loaded with one out but could not score again. Dayton tacked on an insurance run in the ninth before the Silver Hawks left the bases loaded again in the bottom of the ninth as Josh Smith (SV, 1) closed out the game.

Borchering led the Silver Hawks offense by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, and a run scored. Nick added three hits and Castillo extended his hitting streak to nine in the team's second straight loss.

The Silver Hawks journey out on the road for a four game trip to Eastlake, Ohio where they will take on the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians). Game time on Saturday evening is at 7:00 PM Eastern Time with right-hander Andrew Wolcott (2-3, 5.46 ERA) going up against LHP Vidal Nuno (5-7, 5.07 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:40 PM Eastern Time on 1620 ESPN Radio and online at www.silverhawks.com.

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Midwest League Stories from August 27, 2010


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