Four Runs Not Enough As Bowie Squanders Series Finale in Akron

BOX SCORE

AKRON, OH – Trying to cap their most successful series of the season with a win on Sunday night, the Bowie Baysox were instead dealt a gut-punch loss by the Akron RubberDucks. Bowie had belted ahead to a 4-0 lead in the first half of their finale at Canal Park, but were clipped for the remainder of the night, while Akron came from behind to take the game 5-4.

For the second time during the week, Akron used rehabbing Guardians reliever Cody Morris as an opener for the game, and Morris again held Bowie hitless throughout his outing. When Akron shifted over to Jack Leftwich, their originally scheduled starting pitcher, Bowie was able to pick up the pace. In the fourth inning against Leftwich (W, 3-4) Bowie quickly knocked two singles to set the table for Donta’ Williams to hit his second home run of the week. Bowie brought another run across later in the frame when Noelberth Romero singled to make it 4-0.

The lead was short-lived. Cade Povich, starting his second game of the week, opened with three scoreless innings that featured three strikeouts. After Bowie had plated their four runs, Akron used two doubles in the bottom of the frame to bring a run across, with the RBI from Bryan Lavastida.

The fifth inning saw Akron match Bowie’s fourth. Povich (L, 4-4) allowed the first four batters of the frame to reach base, highlighted by a two-RBI single by Michael Amditis. While Bowie did snag one out through a strong defensive play from Cesar Prieto, Povich was replaced by Tyler Burch on the mound. Akron plated the tying and go-ahead runs against Burch, using a double by Angel Martinez, and a single by Lavastida.

While Connor Gillispie collected three scoreless frames for the Baysox in relief, Akron’s bullpen was devastating to the Baysox offense. Mason Hickman, Randy Labout, and Cade Smith combined to face the minimum over the final four innings of the night, while Labout and Smith (Sv, 12) went in tandem to strike out the final six batters.

Bowie was still able to manage a 4-2 week in Akron, their first series win at Canal Park since 2019. The Baysox will return home to Prince George’s Stadium on Tuesday to begin a six-game series with Harrisburg, with the first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.