Weglarz Wallops Baysox
May 3, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release
BOWIE, Md. - Baysox right-hander Sean Gleason looked to get his team back on track, but a furious five run fifth inning led the Aeros to a 6-3 victory Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium. Shortstop Melvin Dorta, second baseman Paco Figueroa and catcher Adam Donachie each had two hits, but Nick Weglarz's three run home run proved to be the difference as the Baysox dropped to 9-12 on the season.
The Baysox got their first run in the fourth, on an RBI single by designated hitter Ambiorix Concepcion which plated Figueroa. The single extended Concepcion's hitting streak to six games while Figueroa crossed the plate for the 13th time this season, tops on the team.
Gleason pitched well through the first four innings, throwing his curveball for strikes while keeping his fastball down. Akron tallied a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Rivero, but the big blow came with two outs in the fifth when Gleason began struggling to get ahead of hitters.
With two outs and the speedy Jose Constanza on first, Beau Mills launched a Gleason offering to the base of the wall in right for an RBI double. Carlos Santana followed with a four pitch walk to put men on first and second for Niuman Romero. The Aeros second baseman hit a sinking liner to right which landed just in front of a diving Joe Nowicki, scoring Mills and putting runners on the corners. Nick Weglarz came to the plate and busted the game wide open, crushing his third home run of the season deep into left center field to put Akron on top 6-1. Gleason fell behind in the count to Mills and Weglarz before being tagged for extra-base hits.
"When I got behind, good hitters took advantage of the pitches and made them count" said Gleason of his struggles in the fifth. "You've got to go out and throw strike one and strike two when a team is hitting as well as they are."
The Baysox had opportunities for big offensive innings, loading the bases in the first and fifth innings with less than two out. Both times the offense failed to get the big hit, managing just one run in those innings while going just 2-11 with runners in scoring position on the night. Their run in the fifth came on a sacrifice fly by Figueroa, scoring catcher Donachie before Brandon Snyder flied out to right to end the threat.
"It just seems like were one hit away from getting that big inning going," said Donachie, who went 2-3 on the night. "We've got to have someone step up but it's all going to come around soon."
The Baysox would tally another run in the eighth off Aeros reliever Steven Wright. First baseman Brandon Snyder doubled deep into the right field corner to start the inning and advanced to third on a fly out by third baseman Miguel Abreu. Concepcion drove home his second run of the game with a ground out to first, plating Snyder to cut the deficit to three.
Akron would not let them get closer, as Wright stayed on to close the Baysox out in the ninth to drop them eight and a half games behind the Aeros in the Eastern League South.
Ryan Freel spent his second night in a row leading off for the Baysox, starting the game in center field. He went 0-3 while reaching base once on a fielders choice in the fifth.
The two teams close out the series tomorrow as the Baysox look to avoid being swept at home for the first time since dropping a three game set to the Aeros in June of 2008. RHP Jake Arrieta (2-0, 2.00 ERA) takes the mound for the Baysox against RHP Hector Rondon (4-0, 1.10 ERA) for the Aeros. Game time is set for 2:05 p.m.
The Baysox 17th season as the class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway! 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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Eastern League Stories from May 3, 2009
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