08/15/2007

Bums pound Freedom, 12-5

Holmes, Orr, Garza belt home runs in rout

FROM STAFF REPORTS

FLORENCE, Ky. — Every batter in the starting lineup had at least one hit as the Traverse City Beach Bums pounded the Florence Freedom 12-5 in the first game of a three-game road series on Tuesday night.

Justin Holmes and Sam Orr led the 16-hit attack with three hits each and Curtis Ledbetter extended his hitting streak to 15 games for the Bums, who improved their Frontier League baseball record to 34-43.

Holmes and Orr both fell just a triple short of the cycle. Holmes batted in five runs, while Orr drove in three.

Traverse City slugged three home runs in the game, one apiece by Holmes (his fourth), Orr (sixth) and Aaron Garza (team-high seventh).

Zack Kalter contributed two hits, including an RBI double, and also walked twice. Garza added two hits.

TC jumped out to a 9-1 lead with two runs in the first inning, three in the third and four more in the fifth.

Ryan Gehring (6-8) was the winning pitcher, going five innings before giving way to the Bums' bullpen, which turned in another scoreless performance. Brett Bostelman, Jeff Williams, Matt Dillard and Nick Pepper each went one inning.

Josh Lex went 3-for-5 for Florence (35-42).

Craig Trent (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits in four innings.

The teams resume their series tonight when TC's David Nathanson (3-2, 3.91 ERA) takes the hill against Scott Fogelson (5-6, 4.55). The Beach Bums have already defeated Fogelson three times this year when he pitched for Kalamazoo.