Fitting enough to preface the postgame fireworks expected on Independence Day, the Bowie Baysox and Richmond Flying Squirrels combined to hit six home runs on Tuesday night at The Diamond, but it was three late home runs by Richmond that boosted them over Bowie. Despite leading by one run in the eighth inning, Bowie lost 11-5.
The loss overshadowed a career day at the plate for catcher Tim Susnara, who collected his first career multi-home run game. Susnara opened the scoring when he smacked a two-run home run to right field in the second inning. Richmond’s Carson Seymour would only work into the fourth inning, and Susnara would collect his second long ball against reliever Matt Frisbee.
The first of Richmond’s four home runs came in the third inning from Vaun Brown, as the right-hander crushed a go-ahead three-run blast against Peter Van Loon. It was a strong outing for Van Loon around Brown, as he only allowed three baserunners total.
Following Susnara’s game-tying home run in in the sixth inning, Richmond retook the lead against Connor Gillispie in relief, as Marco Luciano lofted a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the frame.
After Bowie put two runners in scoring position with no outs in the seventh inning, they nearly missed an opportunity to tie the game, grounding out twice, including one ground ball to have a runner thrown out at home plate. Billy Cook saved the situation with a two-out, two-run double to left field to put Bowie ahead 5-4.
Following a scoreless bottom of the seventh by Gillispie, Bowie again put runners at second and third base in the eighth, but this time failed to score either, including having another runner thrown out at home. Evan Gates (W, 3-5) was able to work through the frame to earn the win before Richmond’s comeback.
As Gillispie (L, 2-3) hunted for his second-consecutive scoreless inning, he was instead steamrolled through his worst inning of the season. Wade Meckler struck the first blow with a go-ahead two-run home run to right field. After a strikeout, Luciano and Shane Matheny went back-to-back with two outs to extend the lead. After a pitching change in the frame, Richmond still found time to bring in three more runs on a bases-loaded single and error started by Hayden Cantrelle.
Bowie retreats to 10 games under .500 with the loss, as they sink to 33-43 on the year, and 2-5 in the second half. The Baysox will try to recover in the series on Wednesday at The Diamond, as they turn to Chayce McDermott on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
