Baysox Drop Series Opener to Binghamton, 9-2

BOWIE, Md.- The Bowie Baysox (21-20) dropped a 9-2 decision to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (21-14) in the series opener on Friday night at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie. 

Binghamton jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first as a walk and a single started the inning before both runners scored later in the frame on RBI singles from Tomás Nido and Kevin Kaczmarski .
Nido's two-run shot off of Baysox starter Matthew Grimes in the top of the third extended the lead for the Rumble Ponies to 4-0.
Grimes (0-4) allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits while walking one and fanning four in 4.2 IP.
The Baysox loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but D.J. Stewart flied out to deep center to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Bowie LHP Tim Berry (1.1 IP, H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, K) came on in relief of Grimes with a runner at first and two outs and walked the first two batters he faced to load the bases. A pair of runs scored on an error charged to 1B Aderlin Rodriguez to give the Rumble Ponies a 6-0 advantage.
Bowie got on the board with a run in the seventh as Yermin Mercedes (2-4, 2B, R) led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and later scored on Sharlon Schoop's two-out RBI single to cut the lead to 6-1.
Binghamton starter Donovan Hand (2-1) gave up the one run on seven hits to go along with three walks and two strikeouts in 6.0 IP.
A three-run eighth for the Rumble Ponies opened up a 9-1 advantage for the visitors.
In the home half of the eighth, Randolph Gassaway drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on Erick Salcedo's double and scored on Schoop's RBI groundout to bring the Baysox within 9-2.
Salcedo's double extended his hitting streak to eight games.
RHP Jefri Hernandez (1.2 IP, 2 K) had a scoreless outing in relief for the Baysox.
Austin Wynns (2-3, 2B, 2 BB) also had a multi-hit game for manager Gary Kendall's squad.
The series continues on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. as RHP Brandon Barker (1-1, 4.35) will be on the mound for Bowie against Binghamton RHP Corey Oswalt (3-2, 2.04).