Two hits from Billy Cook, including a two-run double, could not propel the Baysox to victory, as Bowie fell 6-4 to the Altoona Curve in a rain-shortened contest on Saturday night at Prince George’s Stadium.
Altoona jumped on Bowie starter Houston Roth within the first two batters of the game. Liover Peguero hit a leadoff solo home run to open the scoring for the Curve. Lolo Sanchez then doubled, eventually scoring on an RBI infield single Drew Maggi to give Altoona a 2-0 lead.
The early damage wouldn’t end there, as Dylan Shockley walked with one out in the top of the second, before Peguero pulverized his second long ball of the night. This two-run shot extended the Curve lead to 4-0. Roth (L, 0-2) would not allow any damage for the remainder of his four innings, striking out six through his outing.
The Baysox would chisel away at the deficit throughout the night. After a scoreless bottom of the first thrown by the Altoona opener Braeden Ogle, right-hander Justin Meis (W, 1-3) would go the rest of the way for Altoona. The first two baserunners reached for Bowie in the second via a Donta’ Williams walk and Cook single. A sacrifice fly from Randy Florentino pushed Williams home from third to get the Baysox on the board and make it a 4-1 game.
Three consecutive hits to open the bottom of the third helped Bowie inch closer. Coby Mayo doubled and moved to third on a single by Heston Kjerstad, extending Kjerstad’s on-base streak to an Eastern League-best 23 games. John Rhodes punched a single through the right side to plate Mayo to notch Bowie a run closer, now trailing 4-2.
Altoona would tack on another run in the top half of the fifth inning, as Henry Davis hit his second home run of the series and fourth against the Baysox this season – a solo blast to extend the Curve lead to 5-2. It was the first earned run allowed this season by Bowie right-hander Conner Loeprich, who came on in relief of Roth.
As rain began to heavily fall in the bottom of the fifth, The Baysox would bounce back again. Rhodes doubled for his second hit of the night, before a single from TT Bowens. With one out, Cook laced a double into left-center field, plating both runners and cutting the Curve edge to 5-4. Florentino would ground out to end the frame.
The top of the sixth would begin, despite the heavy showers. The first two runners reached for Altoona via a single and error. Eventually, two wild pitches brought home an additional run for the Curve to make it 6-4, with the game eventually being put into a delay mid-plate appearance, and eventually being called soon after.
The loss drops Bowie to 11-25. The Baysox have lost three of the first five of the series to the Curve and look to salvage a split in the finale Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET from Prince George’s Stadium.
