07/04/2007

Bums fall short

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump
Kalamazoo Kings' Joe Ramos gets tagged out by Traverse City Beach Bums catcher Matt Rademacher.

TRAVERSE CITY — A ninth inning rally — fueled by four walks— fell short Tuesday night as the Traverse City Beach Bums dropped a 3-2 Frontier League decision to the Kalamazoo Kings at Wuerfel Park.

Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Beach Bums made it exciting, thanks to Kings' closer Jeff Sullivan, who had trouble locating the plate.

Sullivan struck out Jeff Vincent to open the ninth. He then walked Sam Orr and Jeff Brown before striking out Matt Rademacher on a 3-2 pitch. Steve Young and Zack Kalter, however, followed with walks to force in a run. Sullivan then got Justin Holmes to ground out to end the game.

"Sullivan has been struggling with the strike zone,” Beach Bums manager Jon Cahill said. "I told the guys to keep taking until he hit the zone.”

Kalamazoo took an early 2-0 lead, scoring solo runs in the first and second innings. Keith Brachold accounted for the first run with his ninth home run of the season. The Kings scored their second run when Mike Russell doubled, took third on a Simon Williams single and crossed the plate on a fielder's choice.

Beach Bums starter Robbie McClellan (3-3) settled into a groove after that, but was still hit with the loss. McClellan, who's been nursing a sore shoulder, was on a pitch count and went five innings, striking out a season-high eight. He surrendered four hits. Jack Nelson tossed three innings of shutout relief.

The Beach Bums were able to cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the sixth as they finally got to Sam Mann (2-0). Kalter, who had reached on an error, scored on a Curtis Ledbetter single with two outs.

The Kings were able to add an unearned insurance run in the ninth inning to take a 3-1 lead — and that proved the difference.

Once again, it took the Beach Bums a while to get their offense in gear.

"We can't keep waiting until the late innings to get going,” Cahill said.

After the game, the American flag jerseys worn by the Beach Bums were auctioned off, raising more than $6,000 for the American Red Cross.

The Beach Bums will now hit the road for three games at East Division leading Washington. Right-hander Tony Casoli will get the call in tonight's opener.