07/25/2007

Evansville keeps TC in check

Otters snap a four-game skid

FROM STAFF REPORTS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Bosse Field was where the Evansville Otters needed to be.

Evansville returned from an 0-4 road trip and beat the Traverse City Beach Bums 5-1 on Tuesday behind the pitching of Jimmy Conroy.

The Otters (24-33) gave Conroy all the runs he would need in the fifth inning. A squeeze bunt by Zack Pace and a two-out throwing error gave Evansville a 2-0 lead.

Evansville added a run in the sixth inning on a double but Kasey Wahl, one of his four hits in the game.

Curtis Ledbetter hit a solo home run — his fifth of the season — in the top of the eighth inning off Conroy (6-5).

Kyle Pawelczyk, who came on for Conroy in the eighth, got the save for the Otters. Ryan Gehring (4-6) took the loss for Traverse City.

The Otters added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on RBI singles by Wahl and Kyle Smith off Beach Bums reliever Brett Bostelman.

The teams play two more games in Evansville, including tonight when TC's David Nathanson (1-1, 5.63 ERA) will oppose Jim Paduch (0-1, 5.06).