RICHMOND, VA – In a game showcasing offensive fireworks display fitting for Independence Day, the Bowie Baysox and Richmond Flying Squirrels combined for six home runs at The Diamond on Tuesday night. However, Richmond’s three late home runs propelled them to an 11-5 victory over Bowie. Despite holding a one-run lead in the eighth inning, Bowie couldn’t hold on to secure the win.
The standout performance of the game came from Bowie’s catcher, Tim Susnara, who had a career day at the plate, hitting multiple home runs for the first time in his career. Susnara kick-started the scoring by launching a two-run homer to right field in the second inning. Richmond’s Carson Seymour lasted only until the fourth inning, and Susnara capitalized on the opportunity, hitting his second home run off reliever Matt Frisbee.
Richmond’s first home run of the night came in the third inning when Vaun Brown crushed a go-ahead three-run blast against Peter Van Loon. Despite Brown’s powerful hit, Van Loon had a solid outing, allowing only three baserunners throughout the game.
Susnara came through for Bowie again in the sixth inning, hitting a game-tying home run. However, Richmond quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Marco Luciano hit a sacrifice fly to center field against Bowie’s relief pitcher, Connor Gillispie. In the seventh inning, Bowie had an opportunity to tie the game, but they squandered it by grounding out twice and even having a runner thrown out at home plate. Nevertheless, Billy Cook saved the day for Bowie with a two-out, two-run double, giving them a 5-4 lead.
In the eighth inning, Bowie again had runners in scoring position but failed to capitalize, including another runner being thrown out at home. Richmond’s Evan Gates (W, 3-5) navigated the inning unscathed before his team’s comeback.
Unfortunately for Gillispie (L, 2-3), who was aiming for a second consecutive scoreless inning, he struggled and endured his worst inning of the season. Wade Meckler delivered the decisive blow with a go-ahead two-run home run to right field. Following a strikeout, Luciano and Shane Matheny hit back-to-back home runs with two outs, extending Richmond’s lead. Even after a pitching change, Richmond added three more runs with a bases-loaded single and an error caused by Hayden Cantrelle.
With this loss, Bowie’s record fell to 33-43 on the year and 2-5 in the second half, leaving them 10 games below .500. They will have a chance to bounce back in the series on Wednesday at The Diamond, with Chayce McDermott taking the mound. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
In a game filled with powerful hitting, the Richmond Flying Squirrels showcased their resilience and ability to return from a deficit, securing a crucial victory over the Bowie Baysox. The high-scoring affair provided an exciting spectacle for the fans at The Diamond and demonstrated the intensity of competition in Minor League Baseball.