Jesmuel Valentin and T.J. Nichting each hit a home run and drove in three as the Bowie Baysox defeated the Harrisburg Senators 6-2 on Friday night. The win was the Baysox fourth in a row, and moved Bowie to 3-0 in the second half.
After neither team was able to plate a run in the first inning, Willy Yahn reached for the Baysox on a two-out single in the second. The next batter was Valentin, who promptly sent his fifth home run of the season over the fence in right field, making it 2-0 Bowie.
The game remained 2-0 until the fifth, when Valentin and Preston Palmeiro each singled to lead start the frame. Nichting then hit an opposite field single, scoring Valentin and extending the Baysox lead to 3-0.
Harrisburg scored its first run of the night in the sixth off Baysox starter Alex Wells. However that was all Wells would allow on the night, tossing 5.1 innings and picking up his fifth win of the season. Wells was relieved by Cristian Alvarado, who retired all eight batters he faced on the night.
With Bowie leading 3-1 in the seventh inning, Palmeiro doubled with one out, for his third hit of the night. He was followed by Nichting, who hit his second home run of the year, making it 5-1. Valentin added an insurance run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly.
The Senators scored once in the ninth, but Tyler Erwin picked up the final three outs of the night, earning the Baysox the win.
The second game of the series will be Saturday night at FNB Field in Harrisburg at 6:05 p.m. Dean Kremer will make the start for Bowie.
