| SportsTicker
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Casey Fossum pitched the second
no-hitter in the Class A Florida State League this season,
recording a career-high 16 strikeouts as the Sarasota Red Sox
blanked the Clearwater Phillies 2-0 Monday.
Fossum, the 48th overall selection in the 1999 draft, fanned
five in a row between the second and third innings and walked
only two. The 22-year-old lefthander, who did not allow a
runner past first base, walked the second batter of the game and
issued another free pass in the seventh inning.
Fossum threw 72 of 104 pitches for strikes. After the leadoff hitter was retired to start the
game, Anderson Machado drew a walk but was thrown out trying to
steal.
Fossum retired the next nine batters before Jeff Terrell reached
on an error by third baseman Juan Espina with two outs in the
fourth. Espina was stranded when Jerry Valdez grounded out to
end the inning. Fossum struck out 10 of the next 15 batters
over the final five innings to complete the 26th no-hitter in
the minor leagues this season.
Sean Cassidy, Chris Baker and Scott Porter of the Dunedin Blue
Jays combined on the FSL's other no-hitter in a 9-0 rout of the
Fort Myers Miracle on April 22.
Fossum, who recorded his league-leading third shutout, improved
to 8-9 with a 3.58 ERA in 22 games. He tossed a three-hitter on
July 10 and followed that with a two-hitter two starts later.
Fossum made five starts with Lowell of the Class A New York-Penn
League last season, going 0-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 14 1/3 innings.
Brad Baisley went the distance for Clearwater, allowing two runs
and five hits while striking out five and walking one. | |
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