Thunder Offense Nuetralized In 3-1 Loss

Press Release - August 1, 2013 Thunder Offense Neutralized in 3-1 Loss TRENTON, NJ – With the headlines Thursday night surrounding Alex Rodriguez’s impending rehab appearance Friday, the Thunder lost 3-1 to the Harrisburg Senators. Making his first start since June 12th (DL, lower body injury), Matt Tracy returned to toss 3.0 innings on two-run ball. In his 13thstart (14th appearance), he allowed four hits and a pair of runs while striking out four on 44 pitches. After allowing runners to reach second and third base with two outs in the 3rd inning, but then a bloop single to right field by Harrisburg’s Justin Bloxom plated a pair of runs for an early 2-0 lead. Jeremy Bleich, who was originally scheduled to be Thursday’s starting pitcher, entered in the 4th inning in a 2-0 game and allowed an unearned run. He completed four innings without allowing an earned run while striking out four. The only run of the ballgame for Trenton came when they were trailing 3-0 in the 5thinning. Jose Pirela singled to right field and advanced to second base on a bobble by Harrisburg right fielder Destin Hood. The next batter was Andrew Clark and his single to left-center field scored Pirela easily from second base to bring the Thunder back to within a pair of runs. Harrisburg pitchers retired 13 of the final 14 batters they faced to slam the door on Trenton’s comeback hopes down the stretch. The Thunder begin a three-game series Friday against the Reading Fightin Phils at ARM & HAMMER Park with Rodriguez beginning a rehab appearance with Thunder. This is the second time this season Rodriguez will appear on the Thunder roster, following his two-game stint from July 15-16 at Reading in which he went 2-for-7 with a home run. The ballgame begins at 7:05 p.m. and features RHP Mikey O’Brien (5-6, 4.11) for the Thunder facing LHP Jesse Biddle (4-11, 3.89). Limited tickets still available atwww.trentonthunder.com/tickets or by calling the Thunder Ticket Office at (609)394-3300. Radio coverage on 91.3 FM (WTSR) and streaming online begins at 6:45 p.m.  --THUNDER--   TRENTON, NJ – A bloop single down the left field line scored a run for Bowie in the 6thinning and doomed Trenton in a tightly-pitched 3-2 loss to the Bowie Baysox Sunday. The Thunder trailed 2-0 in the 2ndinning after Zach Nuding allowed two singles and a double with the bases empty and two outs. Trenton responded by tying the game in the 4thinning with a pair of two-out runs of their own. With Kyle Roller at second which reached with a walk and Slade Heathcott at first base who bunted for a base-hit, Ali Castillo stroked a single to center field to bring home Roller. Heathcott advanced to third base on the throw, but Castillo got hung up between first and second base in a rundown. While Castillo extended the rundown, Heathcott broke for the plate ahead of the throw from the first baseman Aaron Baker to score what would be the final run of the game for the Thunder. Those two runs allowed Nuding off the hook, as he earned the no-decision after leaving with 105 pitches over five innings. He allowed two runs- both earned- on five hits and two walks while striking out five. His record remains at 1-5 with an ERA now at 3.28. The Thunder hit the road for eight straight games- four at Richmond and four at Bowie- the first of which comes Monday at 6:35 p.m. The game features RHP Mikey O’Brien (2-0, 1.64) against RHP Omar Javier (3-0, 4.05) for Richmond. Radio coverage on 91.3 FM (WTSR) and also streaming online begins at 6:20 p.m.