Bowie evens series with Richmond Flying Squirrels

A night after the Richmond Flying Squirrels (4-2) erased a five-run deficit, the Bowie Baysox (2-4) did them one better.  The Baysox rallied from six runs down to clip the Squirrels, 8-7, on Tuesday night at The Diamond.

The Squirrels broke on top for the first time in the top of the second inning against Bowie right-hander Mike Wright.  Wright issued a lead-off walk to Mark Minicozzi.  Minicozzi swiped second base and Adam Duvall drilled a line-drive single back through the box that clipped the shoulder of Wright on its way into center field.

Richmond righty Craig Westcott held off the Baysox through four innings, and the Squirrels hung a crooked number on Wright to take a substantial lead in the fourth.  Duvall ignited the Squirrels with a one-out double to the left-field corner.  Wright then nicked Jarrett Parker with a pitch to put two aboard.  An out later, Wright walked Javier Herrera to load the bases.  Ryan Lollis then lashed a two-run single into right field.  Ehire Adrianza followed with an RBI single and Joe Panik capped the inning with a two-run single also looped into right field.  Richmond plated five earned runs in the inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

Panik’s single proved to be the knockout blow for Wright (0-1), who worked just 3 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on six hits.  He walked three, struck out three and didn’t register a decision.

The Baysox finally got to Westcott for a lone run in the fifth inning.  Westcott issued an inning-opening walk to Zelous Wheeler and Garabez Rosa knocked him in with a single.  Westcott recovered to complete the inning, leaving with a 6-1 lead.  Westcott didn’t earn his first win despite allowing just a lone run on four hits.  He walked just one and struck out six in the ballgame.

Bowie clawed back into the ballgame with three runs off of Richmond right-handed reliever Omar Javier in the sixth inning.  Javier walked Ty Kelly to start the frame and Lew Ford followed with a single.  Caleb Joseph then drilled a double to straightaway center field to plate Kelly and put runners at second and third.  Buck Britton pulled the Baysox with two runs at, 6-4, with a two-run single to center field.  Javier departed, but the Baysox added an additional run when Brian Ward brought in Britton with a single off of Edwin Quirarte.

The Baysox completed their comeback with three runs in the top of the eighth inning.  Two of the runs were charged to Quirarte (0-2), who suffered his second setback of the season.  The decisive blow came off the bat of Ward, who doubled to the right-field corner.  All three runs in the inning scored on the play.

The Squirrels got one run back in the bottom of the eighth inning against lefty Andy Loomis to make it an 8-7 ballgame.  Loomis recovered in the ninth inning however, and earned his first save of the year as he closed out the ballgame.  Right-hander Tom Boleska (1-0) worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win for Bowie.

The Squirrels and Baysox play the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday morning at The Diamond.  First pitch is slated for 10:35 a.m. as LHP Jack Snodgrass (1-0, 0.00) makes the start for the Squirrels against LHP Jake Pettit (1-0, 3.00) for the Baysox.  Pregame coverage begins on SportsRadio 910 and SportsRadio910.com at 10:05 a.m.