July 31, 2005

HYANNIS, Mass. - North Carolina right-hander Daniel Bard worked a scoreless first inning to claim West Division MVP honors in the Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game Saturday at McKeon Park. Tar Heels Andrew Miller and Robert Woodard also tossed shutout innings to help lead the East to a 1-0 victory in front of 4,693 fans.

A member of the Wareham Gatemen, Bard allowed two hits in the first but also struck out two batters. He leads the league with 62 strikeouts. Teammates with Chatham, Miller and Woodard combined to retire six of the seven batters they faced over the sixth and seventh innings. Woodard retired the side in order in the sixth, and Miller, who has fanned 56 batters this summer, followed in the seventh with two strikeouts and one walk. He struck out 14 batters over seven innings in his last start against Yarmouth-Dennis on July 27.

Bard and Woodard are both scheduled to start Monday, with Miller slated to return to the mound Wednesday. There is one more week remaining in the regular season on the Cape, with the playoffs set to start Tuesday, August 9.