Eight Baysox had hits and five drove in runs in a 12-2 win in Altoona Wednesday afternoon. Mason McCoy had four hits, Jesmuel Valentin had three, and T.J Nichting and Alexis Torres each had two in the win. Torres drove in three runs, while McCoy and Carlos Perez each drove in two.
The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning. After McCoy singled and Ryan McKenna walked, Perez doubled them both home to give the Baysox a 2-0 advantage. The two RBI upped Perez’s total to eight on the series.
Bowie added to the lead in the top of the fourth inning, when Valentin lined a solo home run over the fence in left field, extending the lead to 3-0. The long ball was Valentin’s fourth of the season, tying him for the team lead.
In the top of the fifth, it was McCoy’s turn, as he hit his first AA home run, a solo shot into the seats in left making it 4-0 Bowie.
Altoona battled its way back in the bottom of the fifth. After a single and a walk to begin the frame, Alfredo Reyes and Bralin Jackson each hit RBI singles, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Bowie starter Alex Wells saw his day come to an end after that fifth inning. He allowed just two runs on the day on the way to his second win of the year.
The Baysox answered right back in the top of the sixth inning. After a pop out to start the frame, Zach Jarrett, T.J. Nichting and Valentin all singled. With Torres at the plate, Nichting was able to score on a wild pitch. Then after Torres and McCoy both walked, McKenna hit a sharp ground ball to third that was misplayed, allowing Valentin to score, and extending the Bowie lead to 6-2.
Bowie began to pile it on in the eighth. After Nichting led off the inning with a bunt single, Valentin doubled and Torres brought both runners home with a single. Later in the inning, after Torres had scored on a wild pitch, Ademar Rifaela doubled home McKenna, who had walked, making it a 10-2 Baysox advantage.
In the ninth, Nichting and Valentin both walked, and then Torres drove in Nichting with a ground-rule double. McCoy followed that with an RBI single, extending the lead to 12-2.
Brian Gonzalez and Cristian Alvarado each pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to secure the win.
With the win, the Baysox clinched the series over Altoona, two games to one. Bowie outscored the Curve 24-10 over the three games. This was the first series win of the year for the Baysox.
After an off day on Thursday, the Baysox will be back at home Friday to begin a three-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. First pitch Friday night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get tickets at 301-464-4865 or purchase online at baysox.com.
