West Michigan WhiteCaps at Burlington Bees
June 2nd, 2002
| West Michigan |
|
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
10 |
1 |
| Burlington |
|
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
8 |
2 |
E-Gonzalez, Guzman, Figuereo, LOB WM-9, BUR-11, 2B-Francia, Lugo 2, Figuereo, Gomez, CS-Guzman, SACF-Rabelo, SACB-Gonzalez, Kolodzey, Knoedler
SO-Mattle, Kelly, Knoedler, Guzman 2, Gotay 2, Figuereo, Cordova, BB-Francia, Mattle, Kelly, Shanks, Guzman 2, Gotay 2
T-2:42, A-696
U-B-Art Stewart
Burlington Hawk Eye
by Kery Kahl
The law of averages favors the Burlington Bees when the bases are loaded. The Bees were hitting .345 as a team in those situations.
That statistic hasn't held true in back to back games against the West Michigan WhiteCaps. A day after leaving the bases full twice in the first two innings, the Bees squandered a bases loaded no out opportunity Sunday afternoon which summerarized a 5-2 Class A Midwest League loss at Community Field.
The Bees stranded eight runners in the final five innings and 11 total in their second straight defeat against their non division foe. Burlington also left 11 runners on base Saturday.
"Offensively, we just can't get things going." said Bees manager Joe Szekely, who was ejected from the game in the sixth inning for arguing a call at first base. "We've kind of been snakebit. When we do have guys in scoring position, we don't take advantage. It's frustrating, but we've got to battle through it and play the kind of baseball we are capable of playing."
The Bees dropped their first half record to 27-28 while West Michigan improved to 33-24.
Trailing 3-0, Burlington mountd a serious scoring threat in the fifth. J.D. Alleva led off with a single, Alex Rodriguez reached on an error and James Shanks walked to load the bases with no outs and the heart of the order due up.
Andy Warren's second pitch to Bees' Jonathan Guzman sailed to the backstop, sending Alleva to the plate. But catcher Mike Rabelo received a fortuitous bounce directly back to him and he threw to Warren, who slapped the tag on Alleva at home. Guzman then struck out and Ruben Gotay flied out to center to end the Bees rally.
The Bees had at least two runners on base and less than two outs in four of the innings, but mustered just one run, a Rodriguez RBI single in the eighth. Burlington stranded two runners in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
"We're struggling right now for some reason." said Szekely. "We're not getting the big hits at the right time. We've got to get it back on track. We have two weeks to go in the first half. We still control out own destiny."
WhiteCaps' designated hitter Alfredo Lugo delivered enough offense to beat the Bees himself. Lugo was perfect in four at bats with three runs scored and two doubles. He scored on Mike Rabelo's opposite field single int he fourth to put the WhiteCaps ahead, 2-0.
West Michigan added another run in the sixth on Lugo's double and Chris Kolodzey's single.
Galinda Gomez put the Bees on the board in the sixth driving home Anibal Figuereo with a two out hit to left. Alleva ground out to shortstop on a close call at first to end the inning. Szekely disputed the call and was thrown out of the game by base umpire Art Stewart.
West Michigan escaped a two out, first and third jam in the eighth as closer Mike Kobow retired James Shanks on a fielder's choice. The Bees went down in order in the ninth.