Bowie, Md. — The Baysox game scheduled to begin at 6:35 p.m. Monday evening finally came to a conclusion more than five hours later at 11:39 p.m. after two rain delays totaling nearly three hours.
The game started 28 minutes late after the first delay and was halted for two hours and 13 minutes after the sixth inning with the Baysox leading 4-3. Bowie was able to add to the lead after the delay to secure a 5-3 win in the first of a short two game series against Richmond.
Richmond struck first in the top of the first inning against Baysox starter Elih Villanueva. Daniel Carbonell hit a one-out single to left field before moving to third base on a stolen base and throwing error. Mitch Delfino brought Carbonell home with a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Flying Squirrels a 1-0 lead.
The Baysox came right back to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning against Richmond starter Joe Biagini. Derrik Gibson hit a one-out single to center field and went all the way to third base on a pick-off error by Biagini. Sean Halton then reached on a fielder’s choice that plated Gibson to tie the game.
The Flying Squirrels took the lead right back in the top of the second inning. Javier Herrera drew a lead-off walk and then scored on a Devin Harris double to left field. Blake Miller followed with a single to left field to move Harris to third where he scored when Ricky Oropesa grounded into a double play to make the score 3-1.
Bowie again tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Glynn Davis hit a lead-off single to center field and Jason Esposito followed with a double to left field. Davis then came home on a Chris O’Brien single to left field and Esposito scored on an Ozzie Martinez single to right field to tie the game 3-3.
The Baysox first lead of the night came in the bottom of the third inning. Mike McDade drew a lead-off walk and moved to third base on a Quincy Latimore double to left field. Davis brought McDade home with a groundout to shortstop to give Bowie the 4-3 lead.
Bowie added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning after the conclusion of a long rain delay. Davis hit a lead-off double to center field and moved to third base on an Esposito groundout before scoring on a wild pitch from Joan Gergorio to make the score 5-3.
Villanueva picked up the win for Bowie, pitching five innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out two and walking one. Reliever Andrew Triggs pitched three scoreless innings after the delay, allowing two hits and striking out five batters. Gene Escat pitched the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
RHP Parker Bridwell (0-0, 3.60) is scheduled to start for the Baysox Tuesday as the team plays the second game in a two-game home series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He will be opposed by RHP Chris Stratton (0-1, 3.27).