Hunter Cole’s go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the eighth lifted the Richmond Flying Squirrels (63-77) to a 4-3 win over the Bowie Baysox (72-68) in the regular season finale on Monday afternoon at The Diamond in Richmond.
LHP Raudel Lazo (1.0 IP, H, R, ER, K) was dealt the loss for Bowie and drops to 0-1 on the year.
Trailing 4-3, the Baysox threatened in the ninth, but LHP Jarrett Martin got Erick Salcedo to pop out and Ryan Mountcastle to fly out and end the game.
Martin (1.2 IP, 2 H, BB) got the win for the Flying Squirrels to improve to 4-2 on the year.
The Baysox finished second in the Western Division and will host the first two games of the Western Division Championship Series on Wednesday and Thursday night.
Richmond grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first as Caleb Gindl led off with a double, advanced to third on a single and scored on K.C. Hobson’s RBI groundout.
Dylan Davis’ solo shot in the second off of Baysox starter Jordan Kipper opened up a 2-0 lead for the Flying Squirrels.
In the top of the fourth, Austin Hays’ two-run shot tied the game for Bowie. The home run was Hays’ 16th of the year with the Baysox.
Richmond starter Cory Taylor (n/d) gave up two runs on four hits to go along with four strikeouts in 5.0 IP.
The Squirrels regained the lead at 3-2 in the fifth courtesy of Cole’s solo home run.
Kipper (n/d) allowed the three runs on five hits while fanning one in five innings of work.
In the top of the eighth, Cedric Mullins drew a leadoff walk, went to third on a Mountcastle single and scored on Hays’ sac fly to tie things at three apiece for the Baysox.
Cole Billingsley (2-4), Mountcastle (2-5, 2B, R) and Stevie Wilkerson (2-4, 2B) had multi-hit games for manager Gary Kendall’s squad, while RHP Jason Garcia (2.0 IP, K) had a scoreless outing in relief.
The Baysox will open the Western Division Championship Series against the Altoona Curve on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie. First pitch of game one is set for 7:05 p.m. with RHP David Hess (11-9, 3.85) on the mound for the Baysox against a starter yet to be determined for the Curve.
