Platt Dominates CornBelters in Beach Bums Victory

Published on July 4, 2010 under Frontier League (FL)
Traverse City Beach Bums News Release


TRAVERSE CITY, MI - To any ballot-holding stragglers yet to vote for the Frontier League's East Division All-Stars, a message was just delivered to your inbox.

Ryan Platt deserves to go.

The Beach Bums right-hander carved up the Normal CornBelters in his final start before ballots were due, striking out a Frontier League season-high matching 13 batters over eight innings as Traverse City downed Normal 7-1.

Platt got off to an early start in the first inning by fanning two in that frame. He then struck out the side in the second before getting two more in the third as he retired the first nine Normal hitters in order. The CornBelters got the first hit of the game in the fourth inning, but Eric Brown was gunned down trying to steal as Platt would face the minimum number of batters through the first five innings.

"Ryan worked ahead and pounded the zone," said Beach Bums manager, Gregg Langbehn. "He used his fastball up, down and laterally. An outstanding effort and mechanically sound."

Traverse City would get the right-hander all the runs he would need in the fourth inning as Chase Burch led off with a single. J. T. Hall, who saw his 15-game hit streak snapped on Saturday night got right back into the swing with a triple to score Burch for a 1-0 Beach Bums lead. Bobby Spain followed with a ground rule double to bring home Hall for a 2-0 advantage.

TC would add two more runs in the fifth inning as Matt Brown, who led off the inning with a triple scored on a fielder's choice by Michael Diaz. Diaz would score later in the inning on Hall's second RBI hit of the night.

Meanwhile, Platt (5-1) had things on cruise control as he continued to mow down Normal batters. His only trouble came in the sixth when Platt allowed his only run of the game on a passed ball. He was able to work out of a bases loaded jam with a pair of punchouts, against Jeff Cowan and Steven Alexander to end the threat. Traverse City would then put the game away with a three-run eighth inning.

Overall, Platt allowed one run on four hits over eight innings, lowering his ERA to 2.28. The 13 strikeouts propelled him from a tie for eighth in the Frontier League into the top spot and match Oakland County's Wayde Kitchens for single game high honors thus far in 2010. Kitchens fanned 13 Evansville Otters on June 11. Of Platt's 13 strikeouts, 11 were swinging and he had at least one in each of his career-high eight innings, a fact that was not lost on Langbehn,

"Typically, high strikeout numbers result in higher pitch counts, but Ryan only had four, three-ball counts tonight. It was very pitch efficient outing."

Offensively, the Beach Bums pounded out double-digit hits for the second straight night, including three each from Hall and Brown, the latter using his three knocks to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Ross McCoy went 0-for-4 for Normal, bringing an end to his hitting streak at 18 games.

The Beach Bums now have Monday off before the Southern Illinois Miners invade Wuerfel Park on Tuesday night. Kevin Reese (5-3, 3.10) takes the hill for Traverse City against Joe Augustine (6-0, 2.28) for the Miners. It is Hawaiian Night at Wuerfel Park where fans are encouraged to wear Hawaiian print shirts to the game.

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Frontier League Stories from July 4, 2010


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