A five-run second inning propelled the Bowie Baysox (21-23) to their third straight win with a 9-3 victory over the Altoona Curve (21-20) on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie.
The Baysox have now scored five or more runs in an inning in each of their last three games.
In the afore-mentioned five-run second, a double and a single put two men on before Martin Cervenka, Erick Salcedo, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander came through with four consecutive RBI singles to give the Baysox the lead. Corban Joseph followed Santander with an RBI double to make it a 5-2 game in favor of the hosts.
Altoona grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second as Logan Hill and Stephen Alemais delivered RBI singles in the inning.
Trailing 5-3, Altoona had runners at first and second with one out in the fifth but Bowie starter Jayson Aquino got Jason Martin to fly to center and fanned Will Craig to end the inning.
Ademar Rifaela’s two-run blast off of Curve starter Pedro Vasquez in the home half of the frame extended the Baysox lead to 7-3. The home run was Rifaela’s second of the season.
Vasquez (0-1) surrendered seven runs on 11 hits to go along with a walk and four strikeouts in 5.0 IP.
Aquino (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits while walking two and fanning one in five innings of work.
In the top of the sixth, the Curve loaded the bases with two outs and brought the tying run to the plate but RHP Branden Kline got Craig to pop to first and end the threat.
Bowie extended the lead to 8-3 in the seventh as Mullins drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a single, took third on a flyout and scored on Ryan Mountcastle’s sac fly.
Mullins knocked in Martin Cervenka with an RBI single in the eighth to make it a 9-3 game in favor of the Baysox.
Five different Baysox had multi-hit games: Joseph (3-5, 2B, RBI), Mullins (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB),Aderlin Rodriguez (2-4, R), Rifaela (2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB) and Santander (3-5, 2B, RBI, R).
Mullins’ single in the first extended his hitting streak to eight games, which ties a season-high by a Baysox hitter.
Kline (2.0 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 K) and RHP Matthew Grimes (2.0 IP, H) both had scoreless outings in relief for manager Gary Kendall’s squad.
The series wraps up on Thursday at 11:05 a.m. as RHP Lucas Long (0-5, 4.76) gets the start for the Baysox against Curve RHP Dario Agrazal (3-1, 2.45).
