EL1 Chesapeake Baysox

Tucker Twists Squirrels

Published on September 3, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - The Bowie Baysox beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-3 Friday night, a win that moved the club back to 11 games over .500 as the regular season approaches its climax. The win eliminated the Akron Aeros from playoff contention and kept the Baysox level with the Harrisburg Senators, who swept their doubleheader in Binghamton.

Japanese pitcher Ryohei Tanaka delivered the sort of performance that will be needed from him if the Baysox are to challenge for the Eastern League crown, tossing five shutout innings with two hits and no walks as he struck out three batters. It was a redeeming performance and second consecutive win for Tanaka in his last start of a frustrating season in which he gave up 22 home runs and lost 12 times, both third-most in the league. The Flying Squirrels had particularly given him trouble, coming into the game with a 1-5 record and 8.80 ERA against Richmond.

Right fielder Jonathan Tucker caused fits for the Flying Squirrels. The speedy outfielder connected on a solo home run, drove in an insurance run with a sacrifice fly and scored in the top of the ninth inning after reaching second base on an error and stealing third base.

Bowie got off to a fast start when left fielder Danny Figueroa drew a one-out walk in the top of the first inning and advanced to second base on Eastern League All-Star Ryan Adams' single to left field. Adams and Figueroa scored on Eastern League home runs leader Joel Guzman's double to left field. Guzman has been on a tear lately, with five home runs in his last nine games and has provided a major advantage with seven first-inning RBIs in the Baysox last three games.

Tanaka faced one batter over the minimum through the first three innings and did not give up a hit until Brad Boyer singled to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Outfielder Thomas Neal added a second hit in the inning before Boyer advanced to third on a fly out. Tanaka struck out Sharlon Schoop to escape the inning.

Tucker added another run to the Baysox lead in the top of the fifth inning, leading off with his second home run of the year to left field.

The Baysox loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning, as first baseman Joe Mahoney hit a single to right field and moved to second base on third baseman Brandon Waring's walk. Catcher Caleb Joseph hit a single to left field to juice the bags ahead of Tucker's deep fly ball to center field that allowed Mahoney to cross home for a 4-0 Baysox lead.

Right-hander Wynn Pelzer took over on the mound for Tanaka in the bottom of the sixth inning and ran into immediate trouble as Bond hit a leadoff triple to right field and scored on a throwing error by Mahoney on the relay. Boyer followed him with a single to right field and scored two batters later on Juan Ciriaco's triple to center field. Pelzer escaped the inning with the Baysox lead cut down to 4-2 after Clay Timpner grounded out and Schoop hit a pop fly to Adams at second base.

Pelzer did better in the seventh inning, giving up a leadoff single to Nick Noonan, who advanced to second on a groundout. Pelzer picked off Noonan at second base for the second out, but hit shortstop Ryan Lormand before handing the ball to left-hander Chad Thall. He ended the inning quickly by fielding Bond's grounder and tagging him out on the way to first base.

Thall gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth inning to Boyer, who moved to second as Conor Gillaspie grounded out. Jose Diaz took over on the hill and Ciriaco hit an RBI single to center field that trimmed the Baysox lead to a single run. Timpner added another single that advanced Ciriaco to second base, but Diaz slammed the door shut with back-to-back strikeouts.

Richmond opened the top of the ninth inning with a fatal blunder, as Tucker hit a grounder to Lormand, whose throw to first base went wild and allowed Tucker to take second base. Tucker stole third base for his 22nd steal of the year with shortstop Carlos Rojas batting and scored when Rojas knocked a single up the middle of the diamond. Rojas was out on a fielder's choice when Xavier Avery attempted a sacrifice bunt. Figueroa drew his second walk of the game, advancing Avery to second base before the Squirrels intentionally walked Guzman to avoid a big hit from the powerful slugger. Mahoney went down swinging to end the inning.

Diaz closed out the game with ease for his fourth save since joining the Baysox, walking the leadoff batter before he struck out Lormand and induced a double play from Bond to end the game.

The win pushed the Baysox to 75-64 on the year, with three games left to go in Richmond, starting Saturday at 6:35 p.m. Should the Baysox qualify for the playoffs, the team will travel to Altoona to begin the Eastern League Divisional Series on Wednesday, Sept. 8, then return to Bowie for game three on Friday, Sept. 10 and, if necessary, game four on Saturday, Sept. 11. If the Baysox finish tied with Harrisburg for second place, they will face the Senators in a one-game playoff at Prince George's Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Think Outside The Box with the Baysox in 2010. The Baysox 18th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is nearly over. Catch all the action in Natural Definition! Baysox full-season and partial-season ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the group sales department at (301) 464-4880.

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Eastern League Stories from September 3, 2010


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