Two Austin Hays home runs and a strong Alex Wells start propelled the Bowie Baysox to a 5-2 win over the Hartford Yard Goats in front of 3,241 at Prince George’s Stadium Sunday afternoon.
After a pair of pitcher’s duels dictated the first two games of the series, both teams plated a pair of runs in the first inning. A single and an error gave Hartford (32-23) a 2-0 lead, but Hays launched a two-run home run to left field three batters into the bottom half of the frame to tie the game. Ryan McKenna, who doubled, scored on the second home run of the season for the game’s designated hitter.
Bowie (20-35) took a 3-2 lead of the series in the fourth inning, their first advantage of the series. T.J. Nichting flared a hit to shallow center field, hustling into scoring position with a double. One batter later, Brett Cumberland lined a single to left-center field for his 12th RBI of the season.
Hays added an insurance run in the fifth inning, belting a 3-2 Ty Culbreth offering over the left-center field wall for his second home run of the day. The two-out rally continued three batters later, when Nichting lined a single to left field off reliever Mitch Horacek to plate Ademar Rifaela and increase the lead to 5-2.
Meanwhile, Wells cruised through 7 2/3 strong innings to earn his third win of the season. The Australian lefty used 11 fly ball outs (out of a possible 23 outs) to hold the Yard Goats to two runs (one earned) on six scattered hits, striking out three batters. The start marked the longest in 2019, surpassing three 7-inning outings. Taylor Grover struck out his lone batter, while Tyler Erwin earned his sixth save of 2019.
Bowie has Monday off before flying to New England for a weeklong road trip to New Hampshire and Portland, beginning with a 6:35 contest in Manchester against the Fisher Cats, Double-A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
