Tucker Nathans became the fifth player in Baysox history to hit three home runs in a game, but a six-run seventh inning for Erie cost the Bowie Baysox (13-12) in an 11-9 loss to the SeaWolves (11-13) in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie.
The three home run game is the first by a Baysox player since Brandon Waring hit three on 8/29/13 vs. Binghamton.
In the afore-mentioned seventh, all six Erie runs came with two outs. A.J. Simcox delivered an RBI double, Logan Watkins tied the game with a two-run single and following a pair of walks issued by RHP Jesus Liranzo(1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, K), Christin Stewart cleared the bases with a three-run double to give the SeaWolves a 10-7 edge.
LHP Jed Bradley (1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, K) was dealt the loss for Bowie and falls to 0-2 on the year.
RHP Sean Donatello (2.0 IP, 2 H, BB, K) got the win for Erie to even his record at 2-2. RHP Ruben Alaniz (1.0 IP, BB, 2 K) got the final three outs to notch his first save of the year.
Erie took an early 1-0 lead in the first as Jeff McVaney reached with a one-out single and scored from first on Mike Gerber’s RBI double.
In the home half of the inning, a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out for Bowie beforeAderlin Rodriguez tied things at one with a sac fly and Nathans delivered a three-run shot to give the Baysox a 4-1 lead. The home run was Nathans’ first since 8/10/16 with Aberdeen (SS-A).
The SeaWolves’ Grayson Greiner drew a leadoff walk in the second, went to third on a single and scored on Simcox’s RBI groundout to cut the lead to 4-2.
Gerber singled, stole second and came home on Dominic Ficociello’s RBI single in the third to make it a 4-3 game.
The Baysox stretched the lead back to 6-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Garabez Rosa and Sean Coyle both delivered RBI singles in the frame.
Erie battled back in the fifth and cut the lead to 6-4 when Gerber reached on an error charged to Rosa at third, advanced to third on a double and scored on Zack Cox’s sac fly.
Nathans (4-5, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R) struck again with a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to extend the Bowie lead to 7-4 for the time being.
Bowie starter Matthew Grimes (n/d) recorded his first win of the season after giving up four runs on seven hits while walking five and fanning four in five innings of work.
SeaWolves starter Matthew Crouse (n/d) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits to go along with two walks and two strikeouts in 3.0 IP.
Erie tacked on a run in the eighth to stretch the lead to 11-7 as Gabriel Quintana got on base with a two-out double and scored when Simcox reached on an error by Nathans in right field.
The Baysox cut the lead to 11-8 with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Adrian Marin drove a triple into the left centerfield gap and scored on Austin Wynns’ RBI single.
Marin (4-5, 3B, SB, R) tied his career-high with four hits for the Baysox, his second four-hit game of the season with the other coming on 4/26 at Richmond.
Nathans’ third home run of the day came in the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot off of RHP Angel Nesbitt(1.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K).
RHP Jefri Hernandez (1.0 IP, H, K) had a scoreless outing in relief for manager Gary Kendall’s squad.
The Baysox head to Richmond to begin a weekend series with the Flying Squirrels on Thursday night at The Diamond. First pitch of the series opener is set for 6:35 p.m. as RHP Brandon Barker (1-1, 5.09) will toe the rubber for Bowie against Richmond LHP Andrew Suarez (1-3, 3.48).
