Baysox top Reading Phils 5-3

The Baysox sent Chris Waters to the mound today to try and stop the bleeding of a 4-game skid. Coming into the game, Waters sported a 1-4 record, but was fresh off of his first win of the season. Bowie had lost its last four games by one run apiece, including the first two games of the series with the Reading Phillies.

All the Baysox needed to snap the skid was a break-out 7th inning, aided a bit by some Reading fielding woes. Bowie trailed 2-3 heading into the 7th, having gotten runs off of a Ruddy Yan leadoff Home Run to start the game, and a Luis Hernandex RBI single in the 3rd. Chris Coste of Reading jumped all over a Waters pitch in the 4th for a 3-run home run that accounted for all of the Phillies offense.

In the 7th, Kyle Kendrick (the #15 prospect in the Philadelphia pharm system according to Baseball America) gave up consecutive singles to catcher Eli Whiteside and 3B Bryan Bass. This set the scene for a Ruddy Yan sacrifice bunt, which he executed quite well. However, while the runners were advancing, Phillies catcher Chris Coste fielded the ball and threw up the first base line only to hit Yan. The first base umpire ruled no interference and as the ball rolled off into the dugout, the two runners scored. Baysox 2B Paco Figueroa hit a sac bunt to advance Yan to second. Kendrick then allowed an RBI single off the bat of SS Luis Hernandez, and that was the end of his night. Having brought the score to 5-3, that would be all the offense the Baysox would need. At the end of the game, the score stood the same and the Bowie 4-game losing streak was history. The team returns home tomorrow to face the Southern Division cellar-dwelling Harrisburg Senators. With Akron losing tonight, the Baysox picked up a game on the Southern Division leaders and now stand only 3.5 back.

• Tomorrow: Harrisburg Senators (19-34) @ Bowie Baysox (27-26)

• Pitching Probables: RHP Collin Balester (2-2, 2.98 ERA) vs. RHP Radhames Liz (3-2, 4.06)

NOTES: James Hoey picked up his 14th save in as many attempts tonight, getting one hit against and three K... Jim Miller came into the game in the 7th inning for the Baysox and worked for 2 innings, giving up 3 BB, but striking out 5... the Phillies ran themselves into one of the more unique double plays seen in a while, 1-6-3-2 as a Reading runner was caught trying to round third while the Baysox attempted a more traditional 2nd and 1st base double play... the Baysox pitching staff nearly matched their season high (12) for strikeouts in a game with 11...