Offense Erupts in 12-1 Series-Clinching Win
May 18, 2019 - Eastern League (EL) - Bowie Baysox News Release
BOWIE, Md. - The Bowie Baysox amassed 19 hits to back quality pitching in a 12-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves in front of 8,103 at Prince George's Stadium Saturday night.
Derek Hill hit the third pitch of the game over the left field wall to give the SeaWolves (19-19) a quick 1-0 lead, but Ademar Rifaela answered in the bottom of the first inning. After engaging in a seven-pitch battle with Erie starter Alex Faedo, the right fielder grounded an opposite-field single on pitch No. 8 to left field, scoring Ryan McKenna with two outs to tie the game at 1-1.
McKenna drove in runs of his own in the second inning. With two outs, the center fielder lined a bases-clearing triple to the wall in left-center field, scoring Preston Palmeiro, Jesse Valentin and Mason McCoy.
Rifaela continued his opposite-field power surge in the fifth inning, muscling a solo home run to left field to give the hosts a 5-1 lead. The long ball was Rifaela's fourth of the season, tying him with Rylan Bannon and Jesse Valentin for the team lead.
Bowie (15-26) put the game out of reach with six runs in the sixth inning to take an 11-1 lead. Valentin (2-for-5) tripled to right-center field to score Palmeiro, who finished with a three-hit night. McCoy (3-for-6) lined a single up the middle to plate Valentin one batter later, while Rifaela drove in McCoy on a groundball single to right field for his third RBI of the game.
On two consecutive pitches, Carlos Perez (2-for-5) and T.J. Nichting (4-for-5) each recorded RBI singles to right field, while a Palmeiro sacrifice fly to center field scored Perez and completed the inning. Bannon drove in his first run of the night on a seventh-inning fielder's choice to increase the lead to 12-1.
On the mound, Hunter Harvey bounced back from a tough start Monday in Akron. After the leadoff home run, the righty struck out a season-high eight Erie batters and scattered five hits over the final 22 batters faced. LHP Brian Gonzalez struck out three batters over two relief innings, while RHP Taylor Grover tossed a perfect ninth inning.
LHP Zac Lowther (3-3, 2.17) aims for his second straight win after shutting out Akron over 7 2/3 innings Tuesday afternoon against Erie RHP Anthony Castro (1-0, 4.43). The Baysox turn into Las Cangrejos Fantasmas de Chespeake for the first time in 2019 as part of MiLB's "Copa de la Diversion."
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Eastern League Stories from May 18, 2019
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- Erie SeaWolves vs. Bowie Baysox - Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
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