TC wins thriller, complete sweep
June 9, 2006 - Frontier League (FL)
Traverse City Beach Bums News Release
The Traverse City Beach Bums broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the eighth inning as the Beach Bums completed the first sweep in team history beating the Windy City ThunderBolts 5-4.
In the second, Windy City scored just their second run of the series in the second inning when newcomer Evan Conley hit a sacrifice fly to score Bo Flowers and put the T-Bolts up 1-0.
Traverse City wasted no time in getting the run back as they plated a run in the top half of the third. With one out, Justin Meagher and Steve Young singled to put runners on first and second. Nick Batkoski doubled scoring Meagher and tying the game at 1-1.
The game remained tied until the sixth. Adam Balkan singled with one out. With a 3-1 count on Scott Lefler, Ryan Gehring was called for a balk, moving Balkan to second. Gehring was able to come back and strike out Lefler for the second out of the inning. But the balk came back to hurt Gehring as the next batter Bo Flowers lined a single into center, scoring Lefler to make it 2-1 WC.
Just like the last time, though, the Beach Bums responded immediately. With Nathan Gravley on third and one out, Kevin Gergel grounded a ball to second base. Clemente Bonilla fielded the ball cleanly, but threw the ball low to home plate. Gravley ran over catcher Jason Mann tagging the plate as the ball scooted by Mann to tie the game at 2-2.
Traverse City was not content to halt the offense there, as the eighth inning is where they got rolling. Nick Batkoski led off the inning with a single followed by a Mike Reese walk. On a 2-0 count, Al Roach laced a double down the left field line to score Batkoski and put the Beach Bums up 3-2. Reese took third on the play.
Doug Garcia was then walked to load the bases. Gravley lifted a deep fly ball to right to score Reese on the sacrifice fly and put TC up 4-2. Two batters later, Clay Blevins lined a single into rightfield, scoring Roach and putting the Beach Bums up 5-2.
Windy City showed some fight. With the bases loaded, Nick Ewen grounded a ball to third. Unfortunately, Justin Meagher pulled his glove up too early, allowing two runs to score and cutting the TC lead to 5-4. However, Hunter Davis came in and shut down the T-Bolts, striking out the side, keeping the one run lead.
Jordan Thomson came in and pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save, preserving the win for Ryan Gehring (2-1) who went seven innings scattering nine hits and allowing four runs (three earned).
The Beach Bums now travel to Rockford for three games with Robbie McClellan (0-1, 6.00) taking the mound for TC against Derek Roper (1-1, 5.00) for Rockford. Game time is set for 8:05 EST and can be heard on 94.3 The Fox FM.
Frontier League Stories from June 9, 2006
- Grizzlies hang on for series win - Gateway Grizzlies
- TC wins thriller, complete sweep - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Wild Things Win Close One Over Otters - Washington Wild Things
- Otters lose 8-7 - Evansville Otters
- Freedom Outplayed by Kings - OSC Original by Andrew Kappes
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