The Chesapeake Ghost Crabs, also known as the Bowie Baysox (41-28), loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, and Zach Watson walked it off to defeat the Hartford Yard Goats (21-49) in a 6-5 victory.
The Ghost Crabs trailed by two heading into the ninth, they scored three runs to complete the comeback. Adley Rutschman hit a soaring two-run homer to left to tie the game. It was his 15th homer of the season. He is now tied for fifth in the Double-A Northeast League in home runs.
After two walks and a hit by pitch, Chesapeake loaded the bases with two outs. Watson hit a line drive off the top of the glove of leaping Hartford third baseman Elehuris Montero to score Patrick Dorrian with the game’s winning run.
The Ghost Crabs trailed 4-0 in the second after Jameson Hannah hit a three-RBI double. Sean Bouchard went deep in the first on a solo shot that gave the Goats an early lead.
Chris Hudgins and Greg Cullen each had RBI-singles that put Chesapeake on the board. In the sixth inning, the Ghost Crabs cut the deficit to one as Watson hit a solo homer to left center. Hartford added a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Montero.
Rutschman and Watson each recorded two hits and two RBI. Rutschman went 2-for-4 and Watson had a 2-for-5 night. Four other Ghost Crabs recorded one hit each.
Grayson Rodriguez started for Chesapeake, he went 1.2 innings and allowed three hits and four runs with two walks. Rodriguez also struck out five batters. Nick Vespi, Ofelky Peralta, and Tim Naughton finished the game from the bullpen combining to allow just one hit and an unearned run.
Peralta went four innings and allowed one hit and two walks with four strikeouts. Naughton pitched in the ninth and did not allow any hits or runs with two strikeouts. He picked up the win and is now 2-2 this season.
The win extended the Ghost Crabs winning streak to four games. They have won eight of their last ten games. Chesapeake will look to make it five in a row Sunday afternoon at 1:35 in the series finale.
Right-hander Blaine Knight (2-2, 3.34 ERA) will start for the Ghost Crabs against right-hander Karl Kauffmann (1-7, 9.00 ERA) for the Goats.
The Baysox are home through July 25th taking on the Hartford Yard Goats.
Order your Baysox tickets online or call 301-464-4865 to purchase over the phone. The 2021 season is presented by Money One Federal Credit Union.
