The Flying Squirrels overcame an early four run deficit to beat the Baysox 8-5 Wednesday evening and hand the Baysox their fourth loss in a row. With the loss, the Baysox fall to 67-56 on the season and remain in second place in the Western Division.
For the second night in a row, the Baysox got off to a fast start with four runs in the first inning against Richmond only to see the Flying Squirrels tie the game in the bottom of the inning and retake the lead soon after.
Facing Richmond starter Ryan Verdugo, center fielder Xavier Avery hit a lead off single to left field to start the game and went to second base when second baseman Greg Miclat singled to right field. Left fielder LJ Hoes walked to load the bases and then first baseman Joe Mahoney tripled to right field to clear the bases. With two outs, third baseman Brandon Waring singled to center field to plate Mahoney and make the score 4-0.
With his three-RBI triple, Mahoney passed shortstop Pedro Florimon for the team lead in RBIs. Despite missing more than a month of the season due to injury, Mahoney has driven in 52 runs in 67 games and has five RBIs in the past two games.
Richmond scored four runs to tie the game in the bottom of the first inning against right-handed starting pitcher Bobby Bundy. Francisco Peguero hit a one out single to right field and went to third base when Johnny Monell doubled to left field. Chris Dominguez plated Peguero with a single to center field and Charlie Culberson followed with a three run home run to left field that tied the game at 4-4.
The Flying Squirrels added another run in the bottom of the second inning after Skyler Stromsmoe hit a lead off triple to right field. He scored when Peguero hit a one out double to left field that gave Richmond a 5-4 lead.
Richmond began to run away with the game with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jackson Williams hit a lead off home run to left field and Stromsmoe followed with a walk. A wild pitch moved him to second and a single by Darren Ford advanced Stromsmoe to third. Right-handed pitcher Armando Gabino then replaced Bundy on the mound and the first batter he faced, Peguero reached on a fielding error by Florimon that also allowed Stromsmoe to score. After a double play left just Ford at third base, a wild pitch allowed him to score to put the Squirrels ahead 8-4.
The Baysox got one run back in the top of the sixth inning. Right fielder Buck Britton hit a lead off single to right field and catcher Caleb Joseph and Waring followed with walks to load the bases. Richmond reliever Hector Correa replaced Verdugo on the mound before designated hitter Aaron Baker hit a sacrifice fly to plate Britton and make the score 8-5. Florimon and Avery then recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning with the Baysox getting just one run despite having the bases loaded with no outs.
Bundy had a rough outing as he lasted three innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking two in a loss. Bundy and Tuesday’s starting pitcher Oliver Drake allowed a combined 13 runs in nine and one-third innings of work, leaving the Baysox hitters with large deficits to overcome early in both of their losses against Richmond.
Entering the series, the Baysox were 53-9 when scoring four or more runs in a game this season, but the last two nights, the Baysox offense has scored four and five runs and failed to win the game as the pitching struggled against Richmond’s offense.
Gabino pitched three innings in relief of Bundy and allowed just one hit while striking out three and throwing two wild pitches. Right-handed reliever Raul Rivero pitched a scoreless seventh inning and right-handed pitcher Brandon Cooney followed with a scoreless eighth inning.
Baker has now played in four games with the Baysox and recorded hits in three of them while also scoring a run and driving in two more runs as he successfully completed a sacrifice attempt in Wednesday’s game. His first two hits with the Baysox were doubles.
Thursday, RHP Zach Clark (7-8, 4.98) takes the mound for the Baysox as finish their series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. His opponent will be LHP Clayton Tanner (6-8, 4.20).
The Baysox are on the road through Sunday, August 21 for road trip that includes stop in Richmond and Trenton. The team returns home Monday, August 22 for a three-game home stand against Akron.
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 or by calling the Baysox box office at (301) 464-4865.
