The Bowie Baysox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, secured a decisive 8-3 victory over the Harrisburg Senators, the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, on Sunday afternoon. This win marks a crucial moment for Bowie as they snapped a four-game losing streak and maintained their hopes for first half title contention in the Eastern League Southwest division.
Bowie’s (31-31) triumph was spearheaded by the outstanding performance of John Rhodes, who achieved a career-high with five hits and six RBIs. Rhodes’ contributions were pivotal in the Baysox’s dominant start, particularly in the top of the third inning.
The game’s momentum shifted early when Dylan Beavers drove in the opening run with an RBI single, followed by Matthew Etzel adding another run on a fielder’s choice. A throwing error from the Senators extended the inning, setting the stage for Rhodes. With two runners on and two outs, Rhodes delivered a three-run home run, his second hit of the afternoon and fourth home run of the season, boosting Bowie to a 5-0 lead.
Alex Pham’s performance on the mound further solidified Bowie’s position. Despite conceding three runs on five hits in the fourth inning, Pham (W, 3-1) managed to complete five innings for the fourth time this season, striking out a Double-A career-high of eight batters. Dylan Crews of the Senators initiated the fourth inning with a leadoff solo home run, followed by a two-run single from Jordy Barley. However, Pham’s resilience helped him contain the damage, and the Baysox bullpen maintained the lead with scoreless innings from Lincoln Henzman and Ryan Hennen.
Rhodes continued to shine throughout the game. His third hit came in the fifth inning with an RBI single that brought Etzel home, extending Bowie’s lead to 6-3. This run marked the end of Harrisburg starter Michael Cuevas’ (L, 1-6) outing, who allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits over five innings. Rhodes added two more singles in the seventh and ninth innings, each contributing another run, finalizing the score at 8-3.
Rhodes’ remarkable five-hit performance is the 29th in Baysox franchise history and the second in two seasons, following Jackson Holliday’s five-hit game on August 11, 2023, in Richmond.
This victory keeps Bowie in contention for the first half title in the Eastern League Southwest division, trailing by four and a half games with six games remaining. The Baysox will return home on Tuesday to start a six-game homestand against the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at Prince George’s Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.