Bowie 7-10-1Hartford 5-6-1WP: Jay Flass (3-1)LP: Matt Pierpont (1-4)S: Branden Kline (11)HR: Hilliard (8), Mountcastle (12), Cervenka (13)T-2:29A- 6,850
Bowie 7-10-1
Hartford 5-6-1
WP: Jay Flass (3-1)
LP: Matt Pierpont (1-4)
S: Branden Kline (11)
HR: Hilliard (8), Mountcastle (12), Cervenka (13)
T-2:29
A- 6,850
HARTFORD- Bowie erupted for five runs over the last three innings to beat Hartford, 7-5, Friday night, before 6,850, the 37th sellout crowd of the season at Dunkin' Donuts Park. It was Hartford's second straight loss. The club's last seven defeats have been by two or fewer runs.
Playing as Los Chivos de Hartford, the home team took a 5-2 lead into the seventh inning, before Martin Cervenka hit a solo homer off of starter Frank Duncan. One out later, Duncan was lifted, after turning in his longest outing of the season. The right-hander pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three.
After retiring the first two batters in the eighth inning, reliever Rayan González, on rehab from the Colorado Rockies served up four consecutive singles, including RBI-hits by Austin Hays and Anderson Feliz, enabling Bowie to tie the game. Then in the ninth inning, reliever Matt Pierpont yielded a lead-off walk to Rylan Bannon. Ryan McKenna then reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt, when catcher Chris Rabago failed to retire Bannon at second. With two outs, Aderlin Rodriguez stroked a two-run single to give the Baysox the lead for good.
Bowie's pitching shut down Hartford (53-62) over the last five innings, permitting one hit. Winning pitcher Jay Flaa retired six of seven batters, while hard-throwing right-hander Branden Kline retired the side in order in the ninth to register his 11th save.
Hilliard had a home run, single, three RBI and two runs scored to pace the Hartford attack. Rodriguez had two hits and two RBI to lead the Bowie attack.
Facing hard-throwing right-hander Dillon Tate - acquired by the Orioles' organization from the Yankees for reliever Zach Britton - Harford erupted for four runs in the first inning on an RBI-single by Roberto Ramos and a three-run homer into the upper deck in right by lefty hitter Sam Hilliard. Bowie (53-62) started chipping away against Duncan, when Ryan Mountcastle slugged a two-run home run into the left-field seats in the third inning.
Tate, meanwhile, settled down to pitch six innings. He allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.
Game two of the three-game series is Saturday night at 6:05 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. RHP Ryan Castellani will pitch for the Yard Goats, while the Baysox have not announced their starting pitcher. The game will be televised on Vantage Sportsnet, broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and streamed on newsradio1410.iheart.com and MiLB.com.
