BOWIE, MD – The Bowie Baysox suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Somerset Patriots as they kicked off the second half of the Eastern League season on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium. Despite a strong performance from the bullpen, which delivered 5.1 scoreless innings, the Baysox couldn’t overcome the offensive firepower of the Patriots.
The game got off to a rocky start for Baysox left-handed starter Cade Povich, who struggled with the long ball. Three solo home runs from the Patriots’ lineup caused all the damage.
Tyler Hardman led off the second inning with a powerful shot to dead center field. Hardman went back-to-back with Everson Periera in the fourth inning, putting the Patriots in a favorable position. Povich (5-7) then faced difficulty, walking the next three batters to load the bases with no outs.
However, he escaped further trouble by inducing a flyout and a strikeout. Povich’s night he ended after throwing 91 pitches, issuing four walks, and recording five strikeouts. Right-hander Tyler Burch came in to relieve Povich and prevented any additional runs from scoring, striking out a batter to strand the bases loaded.
The Baysox found their offensive rhythm in the second inning against the Patriots’ right-handed starter Yoendrys Gomez. Greg Cullen led off the frame with a single and was eventually driven in by a two-out single from Anthony Servideo, tying the game at one. Gomez only lasted three innings for Somerset, but the Baysox struggled to capitalize on their opportunities against the Patriots’ bullpen.
Left-hander Edgar Barclay (2-0) stepped in and delivered 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out five batters while allowing three hits and a walk. Right-hander Danny Watson followed with a flawless inning and a third, striking out a pair of batters. Zac Houston and Alex Mauricio, both right-handers, closed out the eighth and ninth innings with scoreless performances, securing the win for the Patriots. Mauricio earned his fourth save of the season.
Despite a solid effort from the Baysox bullpen, the team’s offense faltered at critical moments throughout the game. Bowie had the leadoff man reach base in four different innings but struggled to bring runners home, finishing the night 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The bullpen, however, showcased its resilience by allowing just three hits, striking out 10 batters, and tossing 5.1 scoreless innings despite issuing four walks. Burch, in particular, had an outstanding outing, setting a season-high with five strikeouts over 2.1 innings of work. Right-hander Nolan Hoffman contributed three strikeouts in his two innings, while Keegan Gillies worked around two walks and struck out the side in the top of the ninth to keep the game within reach.
The Baysox made a late push to rally in the ninth inning. Servideo doubled with two outs and was subsequently driven in by an RBI single from Tim Susnara. However, the comeback attempt fell short as Jud Fabian struck out to end the game.
With this loss, the Baysox now hold a 31-39 record for the season and start the second half with a 0-1 record. They are scheduled to face the Somerset Patriots again on Thursday night at Prince George’s Stadium, with the first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. ET. The Baysox will aim to bounce back and secure a victory in the second game of the six-game series.