EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

'Sox Slam SeaWolves

Published on July 5, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


(Bowie, MD) - The Baysox overcame a late two-run deficit with the help of a Steve Torrealba pinch-hit grand slam and were able to squeak out a 6-4 victory over Erie Saturday night. Starter Jason Berken pitched well for his third start in a row but did not earn a decision. Berken has allowed just four earned runs in his last 19.2 innings of work. Nolan Reimold stayed hot, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The Baysox opened the scoring in the bottom of the third. Jonathan Tucker led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Tucker advanced to third on a groundout by Lou Montanez and Nolan Reimold brought Tucker in with a double down the left-field line. With two outs, Ryan Finan drove a double off the wall in dead center field and Reimold came in to score to give Bowie a 2-0 lead.

Berken got into some trouble in the top of the fourth inning. Kody Kirkland led off and reached base on a throwing error by Travis Brown that went into the Bowie dugout, allowing Kirkland to take second. Kirkland moved to third on a single by Jeff Frazier and came in to score on Ryan Roberson's base hit. Pedro Cotto kept the rally going with a single to left field to load the bases. Dusty Ryan drove a double to left-center to bring Frazier and Roberson in to score. With runners on second and third and nobody out, Berken got Jeff Kunkel to strike out and Casper Wells hit a ground ball to third base. Travis Brown came home with the throw to erase Cotto for out number two and Berken got Will Rhymes to fly out to end the inning with Erie leading 3-2.

Berken was able to settle down after the rough patch in the fourth. He finished with 6.0 innings pitched, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out six. Only two of the runs were earned. "It happens you know, a couple balls fall in, a couple broken bat singles, it's part of the game. I was thinking more about them having bases loaded and not scoring another run, so I was able to take a positive out of it. The biggest thing for me is that physically I'm 100 per cent."

Ryan Keefer came in for Berken in the top of the seventh inning and gave up a one-out double to Shawn Roof. Will Rhymes got a base hit to center and Roof came around to score and increase Erie's lead to 4-2. Jason Burch came in to close out the inning in relief of Keefer with the bases loaded and two outs. He struck out Casper Wells and would end up earning the victory, despite facing just the one batter. "Definitely the shortest outing I've ever had for a win. With two outs, in that situation, it's similar to nobody out and nobody on so I was able to focus on getting that guy out. I had a righty-righty matchup and I just went after him."

The Baysox came back in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the eighth. Nolan Reimold led off and hit a slow ground ball to shortstop. He sprinted down the line and was barely able to beat the throw by Roof. Erie manager Tom Brookens expressed his displeasure with the call and was ejected from the game. Reimold got jammed on the pitch but hustled out of the box, "The guy was painting fastballs away and then he was coming hard in and he just got in on me a little bit and I hit a roller to short. I knew I had a chance to beat it out so I just ran and he ended up calling me safe. The other manager disagreed but I think I got in there."

The SeaWolves brought in lefty submariner Danny Zell to face Matt Wieters with a man on first and no outs. Wieters pulled a base hit through the hole between third base and shortstop to put runners on first and second. Ryan Finan stepped in to attempt a sacrifice bunt and laid down a beauty towards third base. Kody Kirkland fielded it cleanly but had to rush his throw to first and it brought Dusty Ryan off the bag, allowing Finan to reach and loading the bases with no outs. Steve Torrealba came in to pinch-hit for Sebastien Boucher and connected on an 0-1 pitch, drilling a grand slam over the wall in left field. It was Torrealba's first career grand slam and it came against his former team. Torrealba caught for the SeaWolves last year. It was also a special hit since his family was at the ballpark watching, "It feels good, it's the first grand slam of my career and I've been playing almost 13 years now. It was my first one and I hit it against my old teammates so it's just a good feeling you know. It was a great feeling to hit my first grand slam to win the game and my family was here which just makes it even better."

Erie was able to get out of the jam, but the Baysox regained the lead, 6-4. Julio Manon came on to pitch a perfect ninth inning and earn his 21st save of the year. It was his second save in as many nights. With the victory, the Baysox improve to 50-38 on the year, still second place in the Southern Division. Bowie looks to keep winning Sunday night as RHP Brad Bergesen (9-2, 2.64 ERA) faces off against Erie LHP Danny Christensen (5-6, 4.01 ERA).

Sunday night is Renew Your Vows Night at Prince George's Stadium. On Monday the Baysox bring back Dollar Night before the team hits the road again for a seven game road trip before the All-Star Break. For more information on, or to buy tickets for Renew Your Vows Night or Dollar Night, visit www.baysox.com.

The Bowie Baysox are in their 16th season as the "AA" affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Baysox individual game tickets, season ticket plans, group outings, picnics and birthday parties are currently available for booking by calling the Baysox front office at (301) 464-4880.

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