HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Fernando Rijo threw a one-hitter as the Bowie Baysox beat the Harrisburg Senators 7-0 Saturday night in the Eastern League.

The only hit off Rijo (3-6) came on Brandon Watson's bunt single in the third inning. Rijo struck out seven and walked one.

By the third Bowie already had a 6-0 lead off Harrisburg starter Blake Stein (0-4).

The Baysox took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Ivanon Coffie's two-run homer. B.J. Littleton's RBI groundout pushed Bowie's lead to 3-0 in the second.

Bowie scored three runs in the third on a throwing error by third baseman Albenis Machado, Fletcher Bates' sacrifice fly and Mike Seestedt's RBI single

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Baysox notebook: Bowie lefty starting to enjoy new role
By JOHN McNAMARA Staff Writer

BOWIE - It took left-handed pitcher Brian Forystek two years to get out of Class A Frederick.

It took longer than that for the 24-year-old to break into someone's starting rotation after spending his entire career in the bullpen.

Now that he has, he doesn't want to go back - either to Frederick or the bullpen.

"I just got a great opportunity and I've taken advantage of it," Forystek said.

He's 6-4 with a 2.48 ERA so far and figures to play an even bigger role with the Baysox now that ace Matt Riley has been promoted to Ottawa.

Forystek earned a spot in the rotation with some strong performances out of the bullpen early in the season. He was so effective that Bowie pitching coach Dave Schuler recommended to the organization that Forystek be given a chance to start.

Forystek was shaky in his first start against May 2 (it was only the third of his career), allowing two earned runs in 2 innings. He's had only one bad start since then (si! x earned runs in five innings on May 23 against New Britain. Since then, he's made five starts, pitched 29 innings and allowed only eight earned runs for a 2.48 ERA.

"He's an intelligent young man," said Bowie manager Dave Trembley. "He's able to make adjustments. He's a reliever who has emerged as a good starter for us. He has very good command of his fastball and the idea was to get him more innings and let him develop more pitches as a starter."

When Forystek signed with the Orioles in 2000, he was asked if he wanted to be a starter or reliever. Concerned that most of the organization's pitchers had sights set on a starting job, he volunteered for the bullpen. It didn't take him long to realize his mistake.

It's often difficult for anyone but the closer to get noticed while pitching out the bullpen, and the long relief role also limits your chances to pitch, Forystek learned. In three years in t! he organization, he never pitched more than 70 innings in a season. He's already thrown 65 this season, which is barely half over.

"All those guys (in Frederick's bullpen the last two years) were waiting for somebody to go down (with an injury) so they could start," he said.

Forystek's total after three years were solid, but not exactly impressive: 7-7, 3.65 ERA. But he had struck out 182 batters in 155 innings. And he showed enough stuff in April to convince Schuler that he deserved a chance to start.

"It's all about getting that one opportunity," Forystek said.

And that opportunity nearly passed him by. After two straight years in Frederick, he knew that his performance in spring training this year would go a long way toward determining his future.

"I had to make the Bowie team out of spring training, or baseball might have been over for me," h! e said.

Forystek put a lot of pressure on himself coming into spring training last year, and didn't get good results. So even though there was a lot at stake this year, he tried to keep his emotions in check.

"I just came in a lot more relaxed," he said.

Now that he's on a roll, Forystek is still trying to keep on an even keel. He refuses to look at the league's statistical leaders, even though he knows he's among the Eastern League's best in ERA.

"I haven't been paying attention to any of that stuff," he said.

MOVING ON: Over the years, Tim Raines Jr. and Matt Riley have become fixtures in Bowie. Now they've moved on to Triple-A, where the Orioles hope they'll continue their climb to the majors.

Raines played 65 games in Bowie in 2001, batting .291 before moving up to Triple-A.

He returned to Bowie to start last year and turned in a so-so season (.261), which landed him back with the Baysox to start this season.

He got off to a hot start, faltered, then lifted his average back above. 300. At the time of his promotion, Raines was hitting .308 with a team-high 44 runs scored and a league-leading 28 steals.

Riley (5-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 2003) first came to Bowie in 1999 as the organization's top pitching prospect He went 10-6 with a 3.22 ERA for the Baysox that season, which saw him climb from Class A Frederick to the majors before it was all over.

Riley got sidetracked by injuries and some discipline problems over the next few years, spending parts of 2000 and 2002 in Bowie as well. He missed all of the 2001 season following elbow surgery, and struggled last season with his recovery, going 4-10 with a 6.34 ERA.

He trimmed that latter figure in half during the first half of 2003, reviving hopes that could one day be an effective major-league pitcher.

"They did pretty much everything we asked them to do in Bowie," said Darrell 'Doc' Rodgers, the Orioles' director of minor league operations. "Tim re-dedicated himself to being a major-league ballplayer. He showed us that once again, he's a prospect.

"Matt got healthy and got his stuff back."

WHAT'S NEXT: The Bowie Baysox are in Harrisburg this weekend, but return to Prince George's Stadium for a four-game series with the Akron Aeros beginning tomorrow. The games tomorrow night through Thursday are scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. and Thursday night's game will be followed by a fireworks display.