Kinston falls to Frederick

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on July 20, 2005 1:46 PM

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KINSTON -- The Kinston Indians stranded seven runners in the first five innings and then failed to get a base runner in the final four innings as Frederick never trailed en route to a 5-1 win before 854 fans at historic Grainger Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Keys improved to 11-8 in the second half and 46-43 overall, while Kinston fell to 10-14 and 51-43.

Frederick opened the scoring with three unearned runs off K-Tribe starter Nick Pesco in the top of the second, with the first run scoring on a throwing error by Chris de la Cruz. Then with runners at first and second and one out, Frederick's Travis Brown hit a ground ball to Rodney Choy Foo at third base.

Choy Foo fielded the ball cleanly and tried to tag Jeff Fiorentino as he went by, but Fiorentino evaded the tag and Choy Foo had to settle for the out at first. Choy Foo and the Indians argued the play and claimed that Fiorentino went out of the base path to avoid the tag, but their argument fell on deaf ears as the inning continued for Nate Spears. Armed with an apparent extra out, Spears drove Pesco's next pitch to the gap in left-center to bring in two more runs and make it 3-0.

Kinston had its best chance to answer in the bottom of the third, as three straight singles from Caleb Brock, Nathan Panther and Choy Foo loaded the bases with one out. Keys starter Adam Loewen made the pitch he needed to though, sawing-off cleanup man Stephen Head and inducing a come-backer to start a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

The Indians did scratch out a run in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by de la Cruz, but Kinston would squander a chance to tie it in the fifth. After Brock flied out to start the inning, Panther singled to left and Choy Foo walked on four pitches to give Kinston the two tying runs at first and second with just one out. Loewen buckled down again, however, buckling the knees of both Head and Brian Barton as the pair went down looking at curveballs to end the inning.

From there, the Indians wouldn't get another runner and Frederick salted it away with two runs in the seventh.

Loewen (4-6) got the win despite allowing 11 base runners in five innings. He gave up just a run while scattering eight hits, walking three, and striking out five.

Pesco (6-8) has not won since May 27th and allowed three unearned runs on nine hits in 51/3 innings. He walked none and struck out three.

Brock, Panther and Choy Foo each had two hits and went a combined 6-11 to lead the offense from the top three spots in the order.