On Tuesday afternoon, the Bowie Baysox opened their six-game series with the Reading Fightin Phils on a losing note. The 19th annual Reading Morning Game went in favor of the home team 6-2. While Bowie was slow to start, Reading rode a six-run first inning all the way to the finish, while Bowie stranded 12 more runners on base over the course of the afternoon.
Right-hander Griffin McLarty was roughed up from the first beat, making his first start with the Baysox. The first five baserunners of the game reached safely against McLarty (L, 0-1), including a two-RBI single by Aldrem Corredor. The tough inning continued as McLarty walked two batters to load the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Ali Castillo chased him from the game early. As Bowie turned to Shelton Perkins much earlier than anticipated, Freylin Minyety capped the massive opening rally for Reading with a bases-loaded double, scoring three runs.
Following the disastrous first inning, Bowie’s pitching shut the lights out. Perkins, Jensen Elliott, and Tyler Durch combined to keep Reading from adding on, holding the Fightins to only three hits and no walks over the final seven innings.
Bowie was held hitless over the first two innings, while Noah Skirrow logged five early strikeouts. Maverick Handley led off the third inning with a double, and Dylan Harris followed with a single to center field to push Bowie ahead. After being hit on his ankle by a batted ball, Skirrow was forced to leave and was replaced by Mike Adams. Adams (W, 3-0) struck out Hudson Haskin to strand the bases loaded and tossed a scoreless fifth inning around two baserunners to earn the win in relief. Bowie scored their only other run of the afternoon in the sixth inning when Billy Sullivan took over on the mound. Sullivan struggled to find the strike zone early, walking the first three batters of the inning, but the best that Bowie could manage from the bases-loaded gift was a sacrifice fly by Gunnar Henderson. Bowie was held scoreless over the last three innings by Bubby Rossman and Ofriedy Gomez.
Henderson went 2-for-three with a double and a walk at the plate, extending his on-base streak to 26-consecutive games. The 20-yead-old has reached base in every Bowie game this season, as his stretch leads the league.
The loss cuts Bowie’s hope of returning to .500 on the season, as they fall to 12-14. Bowie and Reading will continue their six-game series on Wednesday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. The First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
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