August 12 - Quite the Arm(bruester)! Bowie Evens Series Behind Pitching Gem

BOX SCORE

AKRON, OH – A tale of two halves, the Bowie Baysox were able to ride their early game work to their second-consecutive win on Friday night, taking down the Akron RubberDucks 6-4. Bowie scored all of their runs in the first five innings, while Akron scored all of theirs in the final four innings.

The final score does little to indicate the stellar performance by Bowie starter Justin Armbruester, as the right-hander flirted with a no-hitter into the sixth inning. After walking the first batter of the game, Armbruester (W, 3-0) logged a double play before retiring the next 15 batters.

With two outs in the sixth inning, Akron broke through for three-consecutive hits, a pair of singles that included an RBI from Jose Tena, and a two-run home run by Brayan Rocchio. Armbruester still finished the sixth inning for Bowie, logging just the second quality start by a Bowie pitcher this season.

Turning to the bullpen, Tyler Burch earned a hold with two innings of relief, but was tagged for a run on a double by Micah Pries. Griffin McLarty earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

While Bowie stranded four runners over their first two innings, they broke the seal against Tanner Burns in the third when Maverick Handley laced a two-RBI single to left field.

Bowie scored again in the fourth inning when Connor Norby singled, and a bases loaded walk drawn by Hudson Haskin closed the four-run day for Burns (L, 2-4). Two more runs came across for Bowie against Aaron Pinto in the fifth, on consecutive RBI single by Zach Watson and Norby.

When Akron shifted over to sidearming hurler Robert Broom, the Bowie offense suddenly lost their answers. Broom and Cade Smith combined to allow only one Bowie base hit for the final 4 1/3 innings.

While Connor Norby started the day 4-for-4, he finished 4-for-6, missing out on the first five-hit day for Bowie since the 2019 playoffs. For the first time in weeks, Joey Ortiz did not factor into the final box score, as he went 0-for-4, ending his hit streak at 18-consecutive games, tied for the longest in the Eastern League this season.

As Bowie pulls even in the seven-game series with Akron, the two sides will play two games on Saturday. The doubleheader at Canal Park will kick off at 5:05 p.m.