by Harry L. York
Brooklyn Sports Network

@

Commerce Bank Park R H E Bowie Baysox 6 13 1 Harrisburg Senators 2 4 0 BSN Video -- Boxscore -- Full Story

Harrisburg PA- After rallying back to tie the game at two, the Harrisburg Senators surrendered four runs in the ninth, losing 6-2 to the Bowie Baysox. Reliever Matt Lorenzo, a day after keeping the Sens' in their opening game with 1 2/3 innings, was ineffective in relief of starter Dan Kolb. The ninth-inning implosion wasted Kolb's strong eight-inning effort and left Harrisburg winless after two games of the 2007 season. 

Bowie's offense was led by two-rbi games from Diory Hernandez and Brad Franco while Orlando Palmiero and Tim Raines Jr. each drove a run in. Harrisburg settled for two solo home runs, one each from Pedro Berroa and Zap Loaiza. Both were the first homers at Class AA for the second-year profeesionals. Loaiza's came as a pinch hitter, tying the game at two apiece in the seventh inning.

The Baysox got on the board first, with an Orlando Palmeiro solo homer in the third. The outfielder is trying to work his way back to the Majors in Baltimore after battling injuries and decling production in recent years. The long blast to right put the Sens in an early 1-0 hole.

Kolb got out of trouble in the fifth after a pair of leadoff singles with a 5-5-3 double play, the first of three twin killings Harrisburg would turn in the game. In the fifth, Franco ended the inning grounding into a 5-4-3 DP. Bowie outfielder Michael Perez was injured sliding into second while trying to break up the play and was replaced by Olaf Bayon .

Bowie added another run in the sixth, thanks in part to Palmeiro's leadoff trtiple. An out after lacing the ball to left-center Palmeiro scored on Raines Jr.'s infield single. The slow roller was fielded by shortstop Matt Hermansen, who elected to come home instead of taking his chances on the speedy Raines motoring to first. The throw home was a little late and off-target but the official scorer gave Raines a hit, feeling Hermansen had no chance at getting an out at either base.

After a John Hodges strikeout in the bottom half of the sixth Berroa got Harrisburg on the board with a long home run to right. Berroa, a first baseman, played designated hitter as he splits playing time with Hodges at first. The organization is determined to get both second-year pros plenty of playing time, including seeing Berroa in left sometimes and both players at DH. 

In the top of the seventh Bowie hit into their third double play after Banyon got on with a one-out single. Baysox catcher John Amezcua ground to shortstop Hermansen who turned it to first. Harrisburg took advantage and tied the game in the bottom half of the frame.

After catcher Hank Bagwell struck out swinging the Sens went to the bench, replacing Hermansen with catcher Zap Loaiza. Loaiza sent a fastball to right field, tying the game at two. After the inning Loaiza stayed in the game to catch with shortstop Jason Matthews replacing Hermansen and batting in Bagwell's eight spot.

The top of the eighth saw Kolb induce Bowie's fourth double play while the bottom half saw Harrisburg's last best chance to score a go-ahead run. With two outs Baysox reliever B. Cooper walked Nate Wesson and was replaced by Hector Almonte. Almonte walked Matthews bringing up Loaiza with a runner in scoring position. Loaiza's line-drive smash found its way into first baseman Hernandez's glove and ended any Senators threat.

In the top of he ninth Matt Lorenzo replaced Kolb and unlike yesterday he struggled to retire batters after a leadoff out and let Bowie put the game out of reach. After Raines ground out Tim Olson doubled to right bringing up Hernandez. Hernandez sent a two-run homer to left giving Bowie the eventual game-winning run. But they weren't through. After getting Carlos Baerga to pop up in foul territory Bayon singled to left. Amezcua doubled to right putting runners at first and third for Franco.

Franco hit a cue shot up the first base line that seemed destined for John Hodges glove but some how skipped under it. The ball wound up in right field, scoring both base runners for a four-run lead. The tough play was scored a hit still Hodges thought he should have had it. Had it been tied at that point it would have mattered but as it turned out is just a sidebar in an early-season loss. 

John Foster relieved Lorenzo and got the last out before the Senators last meek opportunity. Leadoff hitter Steve Finleyt ground out, Ryan Church hit a line drive out to first and Hodges hit a week dribbler up the line for an unassited putout by first baseman Hernadez.

Senate Hearings: Harrisburg batters struck out to times after a horrendous 15 times in the opener. Bowie starter J. Cedeno had eight of them while reliever  B. Cooper had for two. Pedro Berroa struck out three times while Ryan Church fanned twice. Harrisburg has now struck out 25 times in two games.   

Hank Bagwell got the start behind the plate, going 1-for-3 with a strikeout before being lifted after Zap Loaiza's seventh-inning, pinch-hit homer. Loaiza stayed in to catch from then on. Bagwell and Loaiza are expected to share catching duties.

Prospect Franklyn Schilling started at third, batting fifth. He went 0-for-2 with two walks and a strikeout. Schilling is expected to split time with 34-year old Rick Short at the hot corner. 

Sat Apr 7th 4:05PM

BOW RHPC. Bean (0-0) 0.00 vs. HAR RHP C. Goodman (0-0) 0.00

Next Up: The Senators and Baysox continue their season-opening, four-game series. Game three is tomorrow at 4PM ET as Bowie's Colter Bean takes on Chris Goodman for the Sens. Sunday's series closer (Chris Ray vs. Chris Mears) is at 7PM. The Senators host the Akron Aeros for a three-game series starting Monday.

BSNetwork … When it comes to sports… We’re full of it!