March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 48 F

Big Baysox Hits Beat Phillies

The Baysox battled the rain and a flurry of hits from the Reading Phillies offense as they came out ahead 8-7 Thursday night at home. With the win, the Baysox take their fifth consecutive series and improve to 34-32 on the season.

Bowie pitchers allowed 17 hits, tying the season-high for hits in a game, but the Baysox offense still battled to victory, scoring eight runs on eight hits. The team with the least hits won all three games in the series against Reading. The Baysox were able to string together hits when it mattered as seven of their eight hits came in innings where they scored runs.

“They swung the bat very well from beginning to end,” said Manager Gary Kendall. “The big thing was in that five run first that we were able to mix in a couple walks and we had some extra-base hits. Sometimes we look over there and they have a lot of extra-base hits while we have a lot of singles so finally tonight we were fortunate to deliver some extra-base hits.”

After a 51 minute rain delay, The Baysox jumped out to a big lead in the bottom of the first inning when they batted around the line up and scored five runs against Reading starter B.J. Rosenberg.  Center fielder Xavier Avery led off with a walk and was knocked in by second baseman Greg Miclat who tripled down the left field line.  Designated hitter Joe Mahoney followed with an RBI single through the hole at shortstop that scored Miclat.  The Baysox then loaded the bases with two outs as third baseman Brandon Waring was hit by a pitch and shortstop Pedro Florimon drew a walk.  Left fielder Buck Britton cleared the bases with a double to right-center field that made the score 5-0.

“When the bases got loaded, I knew that guy [Rosenberg] was challenging everybody with fastballs in so I was looking for a fastball in and I got it,” Britton said. “It was over the plate a little bit and I put a good swing on it and luckily it fell in.”

In the second inning, the Phillies got two runs back against right-handed starting pitcher Zach Clark.  Carlos Rivero led off the inning with a solo home run to left field.  Stephen Susdorf walked and advanced to second when Derrick Mitchell singled to center field.  After Terry Evans grounded into a double play, Tim Kennelly hit an RBI triple down the left-field line that scored Susdorf and made it a 5-2 game.

The Phillies tied the game in the fifth inning.  Freddy Galvis started the inning with a leadoff home run to right field, the second of the game for Reading.  Then Niuman Romero singled through the hole at shortstop and Michael Spidale doubled to right field to put runners at second and third with no one out.  Matt Rizzotti then cut the lead to one with an RBI single to right field that scored Romero and moved Spidale to third.  The next batter, Rivero grounded into a double play, but Spidale scored on the play to tie the game at 5-5.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Baysox took the lead right back.  Miclat led off with a walk and advanced to second on a throwing error by Rosenberg on an attempted pickoff.  Mahoney reached on a fielding error by shortstop Freddy Galvis and Miclat went to third. Waring then hit a ground ball to third and Miclat got caught in a run down and was eventually tagged out.  After right fielder LJ Hoes struck out, the game went into its second delay of the night.  On the very first pitch after the delay, catcher Steve Lerud hit a two-run double to left field that gave the Baysox a 7-5 lead.

“I know their guy has been down for a while so I’m hoping he makes a mistake early out over the plate,” Lerud said. “I don’t want him to get back in a groove – after that first inning he shut us down pretty good. I was looking for something to drive that would hopefully score two and I was able to do it.”

The Phillies got one run back in the sixth inning.  Right-handed pitcher Wynn Pelzer quickly retired the first two batters of the inning in his first inning of relief work before Galvis and Romero then hit back-to-back singles to center field.  Spidale put the Phillies within one run on an RBI single through the hole at shortstop that scored Galvis.

In the seventh inning, Susdorf hit the third lead off home run of the game for the Phillies to right field and tied the score at 7-7.

The Baysox took the lead back for good in the bottom of the eighth inning against Reading pitcher Chris Kissock.  Lerud led off with a single to right field, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Florimon and over to third on a fly out by Britton.  With two outs, first baseman Billy Rowell knocked in the game-winning run with a single to center field that scored Lerud and gave the Baysox an 8-7 lead.

After his start was delayed by rain, Clark pitched five innings and allowed five runs on 11 hits while striking out two before being removed from the game after a second rain delay. Pelzer replaced Clark and pitched three innings while allowing two runs on six hits and striking out three. Right-handed pitcher Armando Gabino finished the game with a scoreless ninth inning where he struck out one.

“I didn’t feel too great,” Clark said. “I didn’t really have command and I was up. We got a good lead and I wasn’t making pitches when I needed to and doing what I should’ve been doing to keep us in the game.”

The Baysox scored five runs in the first inning Thursday night to get out to another fast start. Quick starts have been a theme for the Baysox this season as they have scored 57 first-innings runs, more than they have scored in any other inning and nearly one-quarter of all the runs they have scored this season.

Friday, RHP Chorye Spoone (2-4, 4.53) takes the mound for the Baysox as they travel to Richmond to take on the Flying Squirrels. His opponent will be RHP Daryl Maday (2-4, 3.43).

The Baysox begin a six-game road trip Friday, June 17 before returning home Friday, June 24 for a three game home stand against Binghamton. For more information on Baysox promotions and theme nights, visit www.baysox.com.

Baysox Baseball – We’ll Knock Your ‘Sox Off. The Baysox 19th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway. Parking is free at every Baysox home game and tickets are now available at www.baysox.com.

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