After last night’s extra-inning loss, the Baysox bats came alive as they jumped out to the early lead over the Portland Sea Dogs. Bowie Baysox starter Brandon Barker and Infielder Jeff Kemp starred in the game to secure the win versus the Sea Dogs, 7-2.
Kemp recorded his first two-home run game of the season and drove in three runs while Barker threw 7.2 innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits for his third win with the Baysox.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy played his second game with the Baysox on a Minor League Rehab Assignment. He batted second and started the game at shortstop, playing seven innings. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a single, walk and a strikeout.
In their first time at bat, in the bottom of the first, Bowie struck early. After scoring seven runs over 3.2 innings against Portland starter Kevin McAvoy in his last start, the Baysox jumped right on him again. With two outs, Garabez Rosa, Chance Sisco and Henry Urrutia hit consecutive singles to bring home a run and give Bowie the early lead, 1-0.
After a 1-2-3 second inning courtesy of Barker the Bowie hitters stayed on the attack. Tucker Nathans hit a lead-off single to left field and Drew Dosch followed with a walk. Nathans moved to third on a Kemp fly-out and he then scored on a Julio Borbon sacrifice fly to right field. Hardy then drew a two-out walk and Garabez Rosa followed with a single to right field that plated Dosch and extended the Baysox lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the third the Baysox delivered three more runs on three hits. After the first two batters were quickly retired, Nathans and Dosch hit back-to-back doubles to score a run. Kemp then hit his first of two home runs to left-center field to make the score 6-0. Portland reliever Taylor Grover then replaced McAvoy on the mound to finish the inning.
The top of the fifth frame saw the Sea Dogs score their two runs of the game. In his first game playing in the Red Sox organization, Cody Decker got to Barker with a solo home run to lead off the top off the inning. With one out, Jake Romanski singled to left field but was thrown out at home by left fielder Quincy Latimore trying to score on a Wendell Rijo double. With two outs, Rijo scored on a Tzu-Wei Lin single to center field to make the score 6-2.
The Baysox tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Kemp hit his second home run of the game to left field off Portland reliever Jake Drehoff to give the Baysox a 7-2 lead.
Baysox reliever David Richardson was credited with his first save as a Baysox after throwing 1.1 innings allowing a sole hit while striking out on Sea Dog batter.
McAvoy took the loss for Portland, throwing 2.2 innings and allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking two batters.
The Baysox are home for a three-game home series against the Portland SeaDogs. Thursday is Redhead Night and those with ginger locks can save at the ticket office the day of the game. RHP Jason Garcia (2-6, 5.50) will pitch for the Baysox and he will be opposed by RHP Keith Couch (4-1, 3.15) with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The 2016 Bowie Baysox season is presented by Money One Federal Credit Union. The Baysox 2016 season is underway. Don’t miss a minute of the action as the Baysox defend their 2015 Eastern League Championship. Single game tickets are now on sale at www.baysox.com.
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