By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
The Burlington Bees’ offense, playing under a different name on Thursday night, put up the numbers that made their starting pitcher relax.
“Makes my job easier,” said Blake Gaskey after he threw six shutout innings in Thursday’s 10-2 win over the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Community Field.
The Bees, who have scored 37 runs in their three wins this week, have scored 314 runs this season, ranking second in the league. They got off to a 6-0 lead after three innings, and were up 8-0 when Gaskey’s night was finished.
Gaskey was the winning pitcher in last Thursday’s game at Springfield, when the Bees won 16-6.
“Oh, it’s awesome,” Gaskey said of the run support. “Last week we played them, same thing. Came out hot, scored some runs. I mean, it’s always easier to go out there and get three outs when it’s 2-0 in the second inning.”
“Guys are just in a rhythm, you know, seeing pitches well, getting into good counts and getting good swings when they need to,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “There’s clutch hitting as well. Getting hits with runners in scoring position has been a big thing. So guys are just clicking right now, and we need them to click for about another two weeks here.”
Corey Boyette’s two-run home run in the first inning got the offense going for the Bees, who were playing as the Riverboat Rockers as part of a promotion. Caleb Klein, who had a three-hit night, drove in a run with a second-inning single, then Burlington added three runs in the third on a wild pitch, a bases-loaded walk by Noah Company, and a sacrifice fly by Cole Yearsley.
By that time Gaskey had settled into his best start of the season. He threw 80 pitches, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out five.
“Everything was working,” Gaskey said. “A few pitches missed, but if I missed, I came back with a good pitch, and it worked out. Everything was working inside. Got a few ground balls early on, and that helped the confidence.”
Gaskey (2-1) got some help from his defense as well — Springfield had two runners on with one out in the fifth inning, but Kaden Griffetts’ line drive was caught by first baseman Keanu Spenser, who raced to first to double off Jonny Marquez to end the inning.
Gaskey’s last three outs were on ground balls.
“If I can get ground balls, it makes it easier for me to pitch,” he said.
“He was really good,” Oreskovich said. “That’s kind of what I expect out of him every single time. He did his job, went out there, filled up the strike zone, made pitches, got his outs, and that’s what you want to see out of him. It’s huge every time he can come out and pitch like that for us.”
Kooper Schulte also had a three-hit night for the Bees, who had 10 hits.
The Bees (23-20 overall, 11-6 second half) stayed a half-game behind Illinois Valley for the Northwest Division lead. This was the start of a six-game stretch in which the Bees play at home five times.
“That’s huge for us,” Oreskovich said. “So we’re in a race right now to get to the playoffs. And, we want to win it. So, being at home, it helps that guys can sleep in the beds that they’re used to and get on their routine they’re used to as well.”
Photo: Bees starting pitcher Blake Gaskey threw six shutout innings in Thursday’s win over Springfield. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)
