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A fractured ankle has cut Robbie Widlansky's promising Double A season short. (Photo courtesy Keith Mitchell)

Season ender

Robbie Widlansky was prepared for a second-half surge when a foul ball ended his year.

Originally published on 7/23/2010

That good feeling at the plate had worked its way back to Robbie Widlansky’s bat until one swing ended his season.

At first Widlansky didn’t know how badly he was hurt after fouling a ball off his right ankle in a July 8 game against Erie.

“I looked down and there was a big lump sticking out of my sock,” Widlansky recalls. “I played the next couple innings, I don’t know how.”

Widlansky eventually left the game, and X-rays the following day showed a fractured ankle.

The injury capped an up-and-down season for Widlansky, who was playing his first year at the Double A level with the Bowie Baysox. The lefthanded hitter posted a .346 average in April only to follow that with a .212 mark in May.

He turned it back around in June by hitting .324 and even though Widlansky was only 2-for-21 in July, he’d been hitting the ball well. Widlansky's season ended with a .269 average, five home runs and 30 RBI.

“It was kind of a bad time to happen because I was hitting good,” Widlansky said.

Widlansky remained in Maryland following the injury, but planned to drive back to South Florida with brother Josh this weekend.

After resting the ankle for the remainder of the summer, Widlansky expects to be ready to retake the diamond in the spring.

“The bad news is that I’m out for the year,” Widlansky said. “The good news is that the doctor said I will recover 100 percent.”

Stepping up: Mike Gipson earned his first win as a pro on Sunday by allowing one run on two hits in six innings for the short season Class A Staten Island Yankees. …Ryan Bernal returned to the mound for the Rookie League Helena Brewers on Thursday, pitching a scoreless inning. Back pains had kept Bernal out of action since June 30. …The Class A Kannapolis Intimidators have activated Brandon Kloess from the disabled list. … After struggling for much of July, Class AA Midland Rockhound pitcher Mickey Storey worked a scoreless inning on Wednesday and Thursday, recording a save in both appearances.

Low and away: Class AA Bowie Baysox reliever Brandon Cooney has allowed at least one run in each of his last three appearances. …After shutting out opponents in his first six appearances for the GCL Blue Jays, Alex Pepe has now allowed six runs in his last two appearances, including four in 1/3 of an inning on Monday.

Indy ins and outs: Will Block’s average continues to hover around the .250 mark for the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League. He has two home runs and 18 RBI in 46 games. …Danny Bomback has at least one RBI in each of his last four games for the Pittsfield Colonials of the Can-Am League and has knocked in 12 over his past 10 games.