In their first game of the 2023 season, the Bowie Baysox suffered a tough loss to the Hartford Yard Goats in extra innings, falling 6-5. The Baysox, who had been on a hot streak to start the season with two consecutive wins, were unable to close out the series with a sweep.
The game got off to a promising start for the Baysox, as Ramon Rodriguez hit a double in the second inning to give the team an early lead. However, the Yard Goats quickly responded with a two-run single by Bladimir Restituyo to take the lead.
Bowie rallied in the fourth inning with a two-run homer by John Rhodes, followed by a groundout by Gilbert Lara that brought in another run. The Baysox held a two-run lead at this point, but Hartford fought back with a run in the fourth inning when a dropped pop fly on the infield allowed Julio Carreras to score.
Peter Van Loon took the mound for the Baysox but was hit by a line drive at the end of the fifth inning, leading to his early removal. Bowie was still ahead 5-4 going into the eighth inning, but a few walks and a wild pitch by Conner Loeprich allowed Hartford to tie the game.
The game remained tied until the tenth inning when Ronaiker Palma hit a two-out single to bring in the winning run for the Yard Goats. Austin Kitchen pitched three near-perfect innings in relief for Hartford to secure the win.
The loss is a tough one for the Baysox, who suffered 12 walk-off losses in the 2022 season. Despite the setback, the team is still off to a strong start in 2023 with a 2-1 record. The Baysox will have two days off before facing the Akron RubberDucks in a six-game series, starting with their home opener at Prince George’s Stadium on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.