The Bowie Baysox (70-65) dropped a 2-1 decision to the Trenton Thunder (89-46) on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie.
Despite the loss, the Baysox clinched a playoff spot for the second time in three years courtesy of losses by Akron and Erie.
Trenton grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third as Rashad Crawford tripled down the right field line with one out and scored on Francisco Diaz’s sac fly.
Garrett Cooper’s solo shot off of Baysox starter David Hess extended Trenton’s lead to 2-0 in the fourth.
Hess (11-9) allowed the two runs on three hits while fanning seven in seven innings of work.
Bowie got on the board with a run in the seventh as Aderlin Rodriguez led off with a single, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Erick Salcedo’s two-out RBI single.
Thunder starter Will Carter (3-1) gave up one run on five hits to go along with a walk and a strikeout in six plus innings. RHP Raynel Espinal (2.0 IP, H, 2 K) and RHP Colten Brewer (1.0 IP, H, K) combined to close things out for Trenton. Brewer notched his 11th save of the year.
Rodriguez (2-4, R) had a multi-hit game for manager Gary Kendall’s squad, while LHP Paul Fry (1.0 IP, BB, K) and RHP Scott McGough (1.0 IP, BB, K) had scoreless outings in relief.
The series wraps up on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. as LHP John Means (9-8, 4.16) will be on the bump for Bowie against Trenton RHP Brody Koerner (5-3, 4.37).