Tavian Josenberger launched a pair of home runs and drove in three runs as the Chesapeake Baysox defeated the Erie SeaWolves 7-3 on Wednesday night at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie.
The left-handed hitting outfielder finished 3-for-3 with a walk in what was his first multi-homer game of full-season affiliated baseball. Josenberger’s second home run tied the score in the sixth inning and sparked a six-run surge over the final three innings that carried the Baltimore Orioles’ Double-A affiliate to victory.
Erie struck first in the opening inning when Josue Briceno delivered an RBI single. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when Josenberger pulled a solo home run over the right-field wall to knot the game.
The SeaWolves regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Three singles in a four-batter span produced two runs charged to Baysox starter Juaron Watts-Brown. Reliever Zane Barnhart then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed another run to score, giving Erie a 3-1 advantage.
Chesapeake answered immediately. Josenberger tied the game again with a two-run homer to right field that scored Anderson De Los Santos. One batter later, Griff O’Ferrall singled and scored on a Doug Hodo RBI double, putting the Baysox ahead 4-3.
The Baysox added an insurance run in the seventh when Dom Keegan scored from third on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. In the eighth, Hodo led off with a solo home run, his seventh of the season, and Brandon Butterworth followed with an RBI double that extended Chesapeake’s lead to 7-3. Butterworth’s hit stretched his hitting streak to eight games.
Barnhart earned the win after pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Right-handers Keagan Gillies and Richard Guasch closed out the contest, combining for two and two-thirds scoreless innings. Gillies recorded three strikeouts, and Guasch, who pitched for Erie last season, retired the side in order in the ninth.
Watts-Brown received a no-decision after working five and one-third innings. Yosber Sanchez took the loss for the SeaWolves.
The victory improved the Baysox to 14-8 in the second half of the Eastern League season and 43-47 overall. Erie fell to 16-7 in the second half and 52-39 overall.
Wednesday’s result continued a strong stretch for Chesapeake. The Baysox have shown consistent offense of late, with multi-homer performances in consecutive games after Butterworth went deep twice on Tuesday. Josenberger’s eight home runs this season place him among the club’s more productive hitters as the second half unfolds.
Hodo’s power display and Butterworth’s ongoing streak provided complementary production behind Josenberger. The late-inning contributions from the middle of the order proved decisive after the early deficit.
The two clubs are in the middle of a six-game series at Prince George’s Stadium. Chesapeake hosts the third game of the set Thursday at 6:35 p.m. Left-hander Sebastian Gongora (8-4, 3.49 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Baysox against Erie right-hander Kenny Serwa (4-7, 5.06 ERA).
Prince George’s Stadium continues to serve as the Baysox’s home in Bowie, drawing fans from across the Washington and Baltimore corridors as well as Southern Maryland. The club’s affiliation with the Orioles keeps local interest high as prospects develop on the path to Camden Yards.
Josenberger’s breakout night offered a clear example of the kind of performance the organization looks for from its Double-A talent. At 24 years old, the outfielder has shown the ability to impact games with both power and consistency at the plate.
For the Baysox, the ability to erase a two-run deficit and pull away in the late innings reflects growing confidence during the second-half race. With several games remaining against Erie this week, Chesapeake has an opportunity to build further momentum at home.
Thursday’s matchup offers another chance for the Baysox offense to stay hot while the pitching staff aims to keep the SeaWolves’ lineup in check.
