(Reading, PA) - In a rematch of the 2015 Eastern League Championship Series, the Bowie Baysox handed the Fightin Phils one of their worst losses of the season on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Not once, twice, or even three times, the Baysox were within a strike of making the
(Reading, PA) - In a rematch of the 2015 Eastern League Championship Series, the Bowie Baysox handed the Fightin Phils one of their worst losses of the season on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Not once, twice, or even three times, the Baysox were within a strike of making the final out in the top of the ninth inning four times. Five hits batted Bowie around and they rallied from 5-1 down for an impressive comeback and a 7-5 win before 5,751 loud fans in the first meeting between the teams.
The Fightins got Tyler Viza plenty of help in his second straight start after three strong innings in New Hampshire in the final series before the break. Darick Hall and Damek Tomscha backed each other up with singles to open the second inning. A walk to Jan Hernandez loaded the bases with one out, and Austin Bossart cashed in with a three-RBI double.
In the next inning, last year's first round pick Adam Haseley , singled into right in his second Double-A at-bat. Austin Listi carried his hitting streak to 14 with a single of his own, and after a wild pitch put the runners in scoring position, Hall broke his bat to drive in a run and make it 4-0.
The Baysox didn't get on the board until Viza's final inning in the top of the fifth. Anderson Feliz led off with a single on a night where he reached base all four times, and a single from Erick Salcedo put two runners on for Ryan McKenna . The center fielder singled for his fifth run batted in, and Viza took care of the next two hitters, including a slow roller in front of the mound that he tossed to the plate to get Salcedo for the second out.
Hall's 10th home run in the sixth inning put the Fightin Phils back in front by four at 5-1, and made it look like they'd win by that final. Seth McGarry and Josh Tols combined on three scoreless innings and six strikeouts in relief, and even Jeff Singer started the top of the ninth with a strikeout of Anthony Santander .
Bowie's rally started with a walk from Aderlin Rodriguez and a Feliz double before Salcedo walked to load the bases with two outs. McKenna's single brought in the first run, and pinch-hitter D'Arby Myers two-RBI single cut the Fightins lead to 5-4. Corban Joseph tied the score with a single, and Ryan Mountcastle delivered the game-winner with a two-RBI double for a 7-5 lead. In the home half, Bowie's Branden Kline struck out two for his seventh save to give Tanner Chleborad (4-0) the win after pitching the eighth inning.
America's Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania's Americana Region. Season tickets for the 2018 season are available online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.
