Although Nick Castellanos was selected for the 2012 Futures Game, the Erie SeaWolves third baseman couldn’t do enough to help the team in its current contest.
Castellanos singled twice and drove in a run, but an early 6-1 lead by the Bowie Baysox was the difference in their 8-5 win Thursday afternoon. The Maryland club clubbed three home runs off Erie pitching, which wilted early in the humid air of Jerry Uht Park.
Erie dropped back to .500 at 35-35 after losing the tiebreaker of the teams’ three-game series. The Baysox departed at 33-37.
During the game, Castellanos, the Detroit Tigers’ No. 1 pick in the 2010 amateur draft, and new relief pitcher Bruce Rondon were announced as the Detroit Tigers’ selections for the July 8 Futures Game at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. It marks the second straight season that two SeaWolves will compete with and against some of minor league baseball’s best talent.
Castellanos will be in the United States Team dugout. Rondon, a native of Venezuela, will wear a World Team uniform.
– Mike Copper
Thursday’s outcome continued Ramon Garcia’s alternating win-loss pattern in each of his starts since May 14.
Bowie chased Garcia, now 5-6, after three innings. The left-hander allowed five runs on seven hits and walked two.
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Erie played without Jamie Johnson for the second straight game. The center fielder has been out with a balky foot.
βIt’s nothing big,β Johnson said after Thursday’s game. βI was available for (pinch-running) duties (Thursday), but never got a chance.β
SeaWolves shortstop Niuman Romero hit in Johnson’s traditional leadoff spot, with Michael Rockett getting the start in center. While Rockett was hitless, Romero had two hits, a walk and also scored twice.
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Josh Barfield was one of three Baysox who had multiple hits in their victory. The visitors’ No. 3 hitter doubled twice, scored twice and drove in a third run.
Barfield’s name should sound familiar two two generations of baseball fans. The 29-year-old outfielder, who was assigned to Bowie in late May, played in 159 games for the Cleveland Indians between 2007-09.
Jesse Barfield, Josh’s father, was an American League All-Star in 1986, the same year the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder led that league in homers with 40.
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Lynn Henning, a veteran sports writer for the Detroit Free Press, was in Uht Park’s press box for Wednesday and Thursday’s games. It was his first appearance in Erie to cover the Detroit Tigers’ Double-A affiliate.
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Pitcher Brad Duffy, who recently concluded his college baseball career with Mercyhurst University, has signed with the Lake Erie Crushers of the independent Frontier League.
Duffy, a right-hander, finished 7-1 with a 3.34 ERA as a senior for the PSAC West Division champions.
