By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Burlington Bees manager Owen Oreskovich has had Jace Figuereo on his team for three seasons, so he knows what the outfielder brings from the top of the batting order.
So when Figuereo walked to open the bottom of the first inning for the Bees in Friday’s Prospect League game against the Alton River Dragons, Oreskovich figured Figuereo would have a good night. And he did.
Figuereo’s double in the fifth inning drove in the go-ahead runs in the 3-1 win at Community Field.
“I know exactly what we’re going to get out of him,” Oreskovich said. “Just the fact that more than likely on the first (at-bat) of the game, he’s going to give you a good one, it kind of sets the tone.”
The Bees (9-11) won for the fourth time in five games.
“We probably should have three or four more wins than we do, but there is progress,” Oreskovich said.
The Bees trailed 1-0 in the fifth when Adam Kudronowicz sliced a double down the left-field line to open the inning. P.J. Hamel’s single scored Kudronowicz to tie the game.
Alton starting pitcher Landon Albers (0-2) struck out Foti Rigopoulos and got Johnnie Ankenbruck to line out, but then walked Matthew Simmons.
The left-handed hitting Figuereo then lined a double down the left-field line to score Hamel and Simmons.
“It’s really good to see Kudro and Figgy go the other way on their hits,” Oreskovich said. “We’ve been trying to get guys to do that.”
The Bees were able to keep the River Dragons (2-19) from mounting any offense. Starting pitcher Riley Fuller (1-1) gave up four hits in six innings. Ty Mikkelsen got double plays in the seventh and eighth innings to get out of trouble, then Zach Troxel pitched a scoreless ninth inning to get his first save.
“Mikkelsen worked out of some tough stuff, ” Oreskovich said. “He might not have had his best stuff, but he worked through it. Trox did his thing in the ninth inning. Fuller worked through some tough stuff as well and gave us six innings.”
The Bees play a two-game weekend series at Clinton starting Saturday.
Photo: Jace Figuereo watches his two-run double in the fifth inning. (Photo by Steve Cirinna)
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