BOWIE, MD - The Bowie Baysox showcased their pitching prowess on Saturday night as four pitchers combined to throw a one-hit shutout against the Akron RubberDucks. The game's final score stood at 1-0 in favor of the Baysox, who clinched the victory at Prince George's Stadium.
The game's only run came early on, in the bottom of the first inning, when Billy Cook smashed a solo home run to left field on the first pitch. This was Cook's eleventh home run of the season, giving Bowie the crucial 1-0 lead. It is worth noting that Cook has now homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning for the second consecutive night, extending his streak to three games with a home run.
The Baysox's pitching staff put on a masterful display throughout the game. Right-hander Alex Pham, making his third start at the Double-A level, set the tone by not allowing a hit in the first four innings. Although Pham only managed a single strikeout, he limited the RubberDucks to two walks and prevented any runners from reaching second base. His impressive outing consisted of just 56 pitches.
In the fifth inning, left-hander Cionel Perez entered the game for Bowie on a Major League rehab assignment. Perez showcased his skills by striking out three batters and allowing just one walk in 1.2 innings of work. However, he was replaced with two outs in the sixth inning. Ryan Long, a right-hander making his Double-A debut, took over from Perez. Unfortunately for the Baysox, Long surrendered a softly hit bloop single to shallow left field, the only hit of the night for the RubberDucks. Despite walking Angel Martinez and putting two runners on base with two outs, Long managed to preserve the shutout with an athletic catch by third baseman Joseph Rosa—long pitched 2.1 innings, striking out the side in the eighth inning.
Apart from Cook's leadoff home run, the only offensive contribution for the Baysox came from Jackson Holliday. The former No. 1 overall pick had an impressive performance in his second Double-A contest, recording three singles, including two infield hits.
Conner Loeprich took the mound for the Baysox in the ninth inning and closed out the game in style, retiring the side in order and securing his first save of the season.
With this victory, the Baysox improved their overall record to 37-46 for the season. Having won four out of their last five games, they are looking to claim the series win against the RubberDucks in the final game on Sunday afternoon. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Prince George's Stadium.
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