07/26/2007

Nathanson, Bums blank Evansville

TC posts third shutout of season against champs

FROM STAFF REPORTS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — While the Traverse City Beach Bums finally got to James Paduch, the Evansville Otters never did figure out David Nathanson.

Nathanson pitched eight shutout innings and Jared Locke tossed a 1-2-3 ninth as the Beach Bums blanked the defending Frontier League champions on Wednesday, 3-0.

The shutout was just the third of the season for Traverse City (24-34).

Nathanson (2-1) allowed eight hits and didn't walk a batter against Evansville (24-34). Nathanson struck out four.

Locke struck out two of the three batters he faced to pick up his first save of the season.

Traverse City put runners on base in seven of the nine innings. But the Beach Bums didn't get to Paduch (0-2) until the fifth inning.

In the fifth, Kyle Bradburry singled, took second on a sacrifice by Aaron Garza. Following an error, Jeff Brown delivered the first run of the contest with a single to left center.

Traverse City added a run in the seventh.

Justin Holmes had a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a RBI single to right by Brad Roblin.

In the eighth inning, Bradburry scored all the way from first base on a double by Garza, his 10th RBI in his 10 games with the Beach Bums.

Traverse City finished the contest with 10 hits while the Otters had eight in the loss. Roblin and Sam Orr each had two hits to lead the offensive attack for the Bums.

The deciding game of the three-game series will be tonight at Bosse Field.

Right-hander Phil Tognetti (1-2, 4.15 ERA) will make his fifth start for the Beach Bums while Evansville will send righty Jake Haggerty (4-5, 5.22) to the hill.

After the Evansville game, Traverse City will travel to Southern Illinois for a three-game set. The Bums will return to Wuerfel Park on July 30 against the Otters.