Baysox Notebook: Bascom Pitches In For Baysox

One of the toughest parts of minor-league baseball is finding good pitching because of the constant call-ups. If players do well, they’re often gone at some point in the season.

But the Baysox have been fortunate this year as they’ve gotten good starting pitching on a regular basis. Tim Bascom is the latest one to step up at Bowie.

Bascom has pitched strongly in four starts since joining the rotation again. He’s given up only seven runs on 13 hits in 24 1/3 innings. His most recent start was Thursday, when he threw seven shutout innings in a .

“I am really just concentrating on throwing strikes, getting ahead early in the count and then putting guys away when out in front,” Bascom said. “I’ve been going to breaking balls early and getting them with that, and that’s really been the key factor in getting deep into ballgames.”

Bascom improved to 5-2 with the victory, and his ERA dropped to 2.96. He’s been on a roll in his last two starts, giving up a total of one run on just eight hits in 14 innings –with 10 strikeouts and two walks.

He pitched for Bowie in both 2009 and 2010 and also went to Triple-A Norfolk last year, but this has been his best work. Bascom’s ERA at Norfolk last year was 6.94 in 17 starts.

COMING ON FAST

Second baseman Greg Miclat has gotten hot lately, giving the Bowie offense a boost.

He’s gone 6-for-10 in his last three games—not starting in Thursday’s win—and also helped with six steals in his last 10 contests. Miclat’s average is up to .259.

The base-stealing also has been a big help. He’s now passed Xavier Avery for the top spot in bases swiped with 27. Avery’s got 25 after getting two in Thursday’s win.

But the most interesting statistic this season is in regards to the steals.

Avery has been thrown out 10 times while stealing his 25 bases, but no one’s caught Miclat yet. He’s 27-for-27 and keeps giving the Bowie offense a jolt.