Despite a valiant effort from the Baysox bullpen, early damage from the Altoona Curve ultimately proved to be too much for the Bowie Baysox, who fell 6-3 on Thursday night.
Right-handed starter Ryan Long would only last 1.2 innings for Bowie. After retiring each of the first two batters in the first, back-to-back doubles from Mat Fraizer and Joe Perez allowed the Curve to take an early 1-0 lead for the third-consecutive night.
Altoona took charge in the second, as Andres Alvarez led off the frame with a solo home run, before two walks and a single loaded the bases later in the frame with one out. A sacrifice fly from Tsung-Che Cheng brought home a run to double the Curve lead and ended the night for Long (L, 2-3), who fired 43 pitches, 31 of which came in the second frame.
With both runners on base still Long’s responsibility, right-hander Kade Strowd was greeted with an opposite-field two-run triple from Frazier, compounded with a throwing error from Jackson Holliday that allowed Frazier to score from third. The chaotic play gave Altoona a 6-0 lead.
However, the lone, unearned run from Strowd would be the lone blemish on the night from the Baysox bullpen. Strowd tallied a career-high 3.1 innings with six strikeouts, only allowing one additional hit. Right-hander Keagan Gillies also tossed two scoreless frames with three punchouts of his own. Finally, right-hander Dan Hammer had a successful Double-A debut, working a pair of scoreless frames himself.
At the plate, the Bowie bats were mostly held in check by Altoona’s right-handed starter Aaron Shortridge, who tossed six innings, allowing just a pair of runs in the second on an RBI infield single from Greg Cullen and a sacrifice fly RBI delivered from Maxwell Costes. Shortridge (W, 8-7) totaled five strikeouts and allowed seven hits on the evening. John Rhodes added on a late solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately, Bowie would be unable to rally. Despite the limited offense, Donta’ Williams had a successful day at the plate, collecting three hits, including a double, for his third three-hit game of the season for Bowie, while also scoring a run.
The loss drops the Baysox to 53-58 overall this season. Bowie and Altoona will resume the six-game set between the sides on Friday, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. from Prince George’s Stadium.
