Reading Kills Rally To Best Baysox
July 26, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release
BOWIE, Md. - Bowie loaded the bases in each of the last three innings, but the Baysox could not push a run across and fell victim to a 2-0 shutout at the hands of Reading. Right-hander Tim Bascom took the loss, despite tossing 6.0 quality innings in his first start since July 8. The loss drops the Baysox to 55-46 on the season, falling to fourth place in the division but still just 5.5 games behind first place Akron.
"It's tough to load the bases three times and not get a guy in," Baysox Manager Brad Komminsk said. "It's just another loss but obviously we would have liked to have gotten a big hit there."
Reading got on the board in the first inning off Bascom, despite the best efforts of the Baysox defense. Quintin Berry led off the game with an infield single to third, barely beating the throw of Miguel Abreu to put a runner aboard. Berry stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Carlos Leon to set the table for Jeremy Slayden. The Reading designated hitter sliced a ball into four territory towards the Phillies bullpen. Baysox left fielder Jonathan Tucker gave chase, scaled the six-foot wall down the line in left and made a spectacular catch. His throw home was on the money, but the speedy Berry beat it with a great slide to give Reading a 1-0 lead.
"The play he made was something extraordinary, something I've never seen before," Bascom said of Tucker's catch. "It gives you so much more confidence to let them put the ball in play and make the defense work for you."
Reading added another run in the second off Bascom, as Neil Sellers stroked a ball into the right field corner for a leadoff double. After a groundout by Kevin Mahar pushed Sellers to third, Gus Milner blooped an RBI single into right field to plate the Phillies second run.
Bascom settled down to retire the next 12 in order before leaving after 6.0 innings. The right hander allowed two earned runs on four hits, not walking a batter while striking out four. It was the second consecutive start for Bascom in which he did not allow a walk, something he feels he has been able to improve upon as he spends more time in Bowie.
"(No walks) is something I take pride in," he said. "I'm getting a feel for what the hitters are like down here and what I need to do to get outs."
The Baysox offense was unable to compile any offense against Phillies left-hander Yohan Flande. They managed only an infield single by catcher Adam Donachie in the third inning before getting a chance in the sixth. Shortstop Robert Valido singled with one out in the sixth, stealing second base to put a man in scoring position with the top of the lineup coming to bat. Flande settled down, getting Tucker and center fielder Danny Figueroa to ground out to end the inning.
In the seventh, a single by first baseman Steve Torrealba and a double by right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion put two men in scoring position with one out. Left-hander Sergio Escalona came out of the bullpen looking to quell the Baysox rally, retiring second baseman Paco Figueroa on a groundout before hitting designated hitter Dave Krynzel with a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Donachie stepped to the plate looking to keep the rally going, but Escalona struck him out swinging to turn the Baysox away.
Escalona came back out in the eighth, getting the first two outs before hitting Danny Figueroa with a pitch to put a runner aboard. Abreu followed with a infield single and Torrealba drew a free pass to load the bases, as Phillies skipper Steve Roadcap went to his bullpen for left-hander Mike Zagurski. The Reading left-hander got Concepcion to ground out weakly to second, ending an eight-pitch at bat as the Baysox were left empty-handed.
In the ninth inning, Zagurski walked Krynzel with one out in the ninth before Donachie slapped a broken-bat single into right to put men at the corners. Valido struck out swinging for the second out before Tucker worked a walk to once again load the bases with two-outs. Danny Figueroa worked the count full, but Zagurski got him to go down swinging to shut the door on his seventh save.
Reading took two of three against the Baysox in the series, as Connecticut comes to town to begin a four-game set tomorrow night at Prince George's Stadium. LHP Brian Matusz (6-0, 1.88) takes the mound for the Baysox looking for his seventh straight win against Defenders RHP Geivy Garcia (0-2, 5.79). Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Baysox 17th season as the class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is going strong! Check out www.baysox.com to see all that's going on at the stadium this year, and don't miss a moment of the action as the Baysox attempt to bring home their first Eastern League championship. Individual game tickets and ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the Baysox box office at (301) 464-4865.
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