BOWIE, MD – The Bowie Baysox faced a devastating 11-2 defeat in the second game of their six-game series against the Altoona Curve on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium.
The Curve dominated the game from the beginning, securing an early lead with three runs in the top of the first inning against Baysox left-handed starter Cade Povich. The inning started with a walk by Liover Pueguero, followed by back-to-back singles that loaded the bases. Matt Gorski and Jacob Gonzalez each contributed with a sacrifice fly to bring in a run, while Drew Maggi added another run with an RBI double. Povich managed to hold off further damage for the next four innings, striking out four and allowing no more runs.
On the offensive side, the Baysox struggled to find their rhythm against Altoona right-hander Sean Sullivan. Sullivan allowed only two base runners in the first five innings, a single by TT Bowens and a walk by Billy Cook, throwing an efficient 51 pitches in the process.
Altoona expanded their lead in the top of the sixth inning against Baysox right-hander Connor Gillispie. The Curve sent all nine players to the plate and scored five runs on four hits. Pueguero and Gorski contributed with RBI doubles, Lolo Sanchez singled to bring in a run, and Gonzalez earned his second RBI of the night with a ground out. The score soared to 8-0 in favor of the Curve. However, the Baysox managed to find a breakthrough in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, Heston Kjerstad singled home Billy Cook, but while attempting to advance to second base, Kjerstad found himself caught in a rundown between first and second. Despite the confusion, Coby Mayo managed to score a run before Kjerstad was tagged out, bringing the score to 8-2. Sullivan, who pitched six innings, only allowed those two runs.
Altoona continued to dominate in the later innings. In the seventh inning, Fabricio Macias scored an unearned run due to a throwing error by Noelberth Romero, one of three errors made by the Baysox during the game. In the eighth inning, an error by Kjerstad at first base led to two more runs for Altoona. Maggi hit his second run-scoring double of the night, while Macias added an RBI single, extending the Curve’s lead to 11-2.
The loss dropped the Baysox to a disappointing 10-23 record for the season. The team will need to regroup and find a way to turn their fortunes around in the upcoming games.
It was a challenging night for the Baysox, as they struggled to find their footing against the dominant pitching of Sullivan and the offensive power of the Curve. The team will need to focus on improving their defensive performance and finding ways to generate more runs in order to bounce back from their recent slump.
The series between the Baysox and the Curve will continue, with four more games left to play. The Baysox will have to quickly regroup and make adjustments if they hope to turn the tide and secure victories in the remaining games.
Fans are eagerly anticipating the next matchup, hoping that the Baysox will be able to shake off this defeat and showcase their true potential on the field. The players and coaching staff will be working diligently to address the areas that need improvement and come back stronger in their quest for victory.