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Senators Bullpen Falters; Team Falls to Grays |
July 14, 2008. Washington, DC. -- All season long, the Senators have used an effective bullpen to slam the door on opponents, as well as keep the team in games on the rare occasion that the starter is ineffective. Monday night marked a rare occasion where the bullpen faltered. Senators hitters, who have not produced the prodigious amounts of runs that they regularly did at the beginning of the season, staked the team to a 5-1 lead midway through the fifth inning. However, the Senators relievers allowed five runs in three innings of work and lost to the DC Grays 8-7.
The Senators offense looked like it had starter Joe Sable figured out through five innings. They scored two runs in the second inning to take the lead, after Sable walked two in the inning. They came right back with three more runs in the fifth inning. Martin Parra's RBI double, and Matt Goulas's RBI single provided the runs. The Senators appeared to be ready to break the game open with a 5-1 lead.
Starter Ian Kadish labored through five innings, but was able to limit the Grays to only three runs. John Barrett's solo home run was the only damage through four innings, but Kadish allowed two more runs in the fifth inning. Kadish loaded the bases with a hit by pitch, a walk, and a single to left center. Romey Bracey then made him pay with a two-run single through the right side.
Still, the Senators held a 5-3 lead entering the sixth inning. Will Krasne entered to relieve Kadish. Krasne struggled with his command, walking three batters in his lone inning of work. An RBI double from Chad Noble, and an RBI single from Jared Kuhmerker plated two runs against Krasne and tied the score at 5.
Sable then settled in and allowed only one hit in the next two innings. Meanwhile, the Senators next reliever out of the pen also struggled. Senators manager Chris Burr allowed Krasne to start the seventh, but immediately pulled him after he walked the leadoff batter. Ryan Schwenke came on, and was equally ineffective. Schwenke allowed two hits in the inning and three runs. The Grays were aided by three Senators' errors in the inning. The Senators trailed 8-5 entering the eighth inning.
“We're giving up runs in bunches in the middle innings against us, which we haven't been giving up all year,” said Senators manager Chris Burr. “Guys are throwing crooked numbers up against us in the middle innings, and it's just killing us. It doesn't matter who you are playing, if you give them opportunities in the middle innings, then they're going to jump back in the game and you're going to have a death match at the end.”
The Senators bats attempted a valiant comeback effort over the final two innings, with four hits in the last two innings. Kevin Hall's sacrifice fly in the eighth and Martin Parra's deep home run to center field in the ninth pulled the Senators within one. With two outs in the ninth, Sable walked the next two batters.
Grays manager Doug Remer then brought on Zach Biery to try and close out the game. Biery got off to a shaky start by hitting Eric Walker to load the bases. However, Biery was able to induce pinch hitter Wes Joy to ground out to second base to end the game.
The end game was emblematic of some of the Senators' struggles over the past few games. They have given themselves ample opportunities to blow teams out, but have failed to capitalize and left a multitude of runners on base. Tonight, the Senators left another eleven runners on base.
“We're still creating opportunities at the plate, but we're just not cashing in as well as we have,” said Burr. “That's more of a focus thing that we have to get back to. We need a group of guys firing, instead of one or two a night.”
The Senators' inability to capitalize with runners on base has allowed their opponents to hang around in games. Their opponents know that the Senators are ranked #1 in the country, and when they sense that they might have a chance to pull such a monumental upset, they are energized even further. This formula has led to three losses in the last week of play for the Senators.
“It's the second game in a row where a team has acted like they won the World Series when they beat us,” said Burr. “But that is going to help us prepare. We want everyone's best effort. We just have to be able to withstand these blows, and then come out of it stronger.”
Still, the Senators know that these sorts of things happen in baseball, and continue to look forward. Senators outfielder Kevin Hall said that the grind of the season is tough on a team, and they need to be focused now more than ever.
However, the Senators will need to right the ship quickly. The Senators play fifteen games over the next twelve days, starting tomorrow with a crucial doubleheader against the top teams in the Valley League. The Senators will play the Luray Wranglers, ranked #5 nationally, as well as the Waynesboro Generals, ranked #11 nationally.
“You're going to hit bumps in the road,” said Burr. “It's a marathon, not a sprint. We have to overcome those bumps and get back on track.”
Andrew Struckmeyer
Vienna Senators